



■ 









































THE LINGER-NOTS 

and the 

MYSTERY HOUSE 

OR 

The Story of Nine Adventurous Girls 


By AGNES MILLER 

—^^ - 

Author of 

"The Linger-Nots and the Valley Feud,” "The 
Linger-Nots and Their Golden Quest,” etc. 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW YORK 

CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY 



) 











THE LINGER-NOTS SERIES 


By AGNES MILLER 
Cloth. 12mo. Frontispiece. 


THE LINGER-NOTS AND THE MYSTERY HOUSE 
Or, The Story of Nine Adventurous Girls 

THE LINGER-NOTS AND THE VALLEY FEUD 
Or, The Great West Point Chain 

THE LINGER-NOTS AND THEIR GOLDEN QUEST 
Or, The Log of the Ocean Monarch 

Other volumes in preparation 


CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, NEW YORK 




CoPYBIOHT, 1923, BT 
CuppLEs & Leon Company 


The Linoeb-Nots and the Mysteby House 


Printed in U. 8. A. 


JUN 25 1923 

©Cl A752528 









CONTENTS 

CHAPTER page 

I. Out op the Window . . . 1 

TI. The Excuesion .13 

III. Under the Four Red Chimneys . 27 

IV. The Linger-Nots Meet ... 40 

V. Helena Makes an Impression . 53 

VI. A Merry Christmas Eve . . 67 

VII. Evelyn's Play.82 

VIII. Lots of Trouble . . . . .97 

IX. ^‘An American Heroine" . . 110 

X. Below the Palisades . . . 120 

. . 139 


XI. The Language of Flowers 

XII. Helena Makes Another 
Impression 


148 



CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

XIII. Undee the Second Chimney . . 158 

XIV. Esther Diary . . . .171 

XV. Clear Skies . . • , . 194 





INTRODUCTION 


The Linger-Nots are bright girls who are too 
lively to stay idle indoors and too sensible to 
waste their time. They form a club of nine 
members and begin at once to discover useful 
things to do, each according to her talents and 
disposition. After overcoming many troubles 
among themselves and having numerous inter¬ 
esting adventures, they began to become en¬ 
tangled in the mysteries of their one big task. 
In unraveling these puzzles, they were led to 
find a secret room in the old house, where there 
were many relics of pioneer days, and the ro¬ 
mantic diary of a girl who lived in that house. 
It showed the heroism of the people in the 
dangers of the War of 1812. Incidentally, sev¬ 
eral wrongs are righted and numerous happy 
results come from the sensible activities of the 
girls, not to speak of improvements in their 
own dispositions. 

The year had been so profitable in the good 
things accomplished, that the following season 
they were eager to try again to see what new 
experience they could have together in com- 


INTRODUCTION 


billing pleasure with usefulness. Their ad¬ 
ventures are told in a second volume, entitled 
‘‘The Linger-Nots and the Valley Feud, or, The 
Great West Point Chain.’’ 

To the bright fancy of a group of girls who 
in years gone by first conceived the name of 
Linger-Nots, the author pays her tribute. 

The Publishers. 




THE LINGER-NOTS AND THE 
MYSTERY HOUSE 

CHAPTER I 

OUT OF THE WINDOW 

J OYCE, do come in here a minutecalled 
Evelyn through the door that led into 
her sister’s room, whence^were issuing 
numerous thumps, scrapes, and squeaks such as 
are always heard anywhere on moving day. 

^‘Just a second, I’m fixing my dressing- 
table, ’ ’ came the reply. A moment later a final 
bump announced the settling of that important 
article of furniture against the wall, and twelve- 
year-old Joyce popped her long red curls 
through the doorway and demanded: 

‘‘What is it, Evelyn?” 

“Wliere shall I put this terrible desk? I 
don’t know whether it’s better here beside the 

bed, or over in that empty space by the closet.” 

1 


2 


LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


Joyce crossed the room with a capable air, 
and stood beside her tall sister, who was view¬ 
ing undecidedly all possible sites for a small, 
battered, old-fashioned golden oak desk, which 
was standing forlornly in the middle of the 
floor. 

Evelyn was the elder of the sisters by two 
years, and her heavy braid of fine, wavy dark 
brown hair drawn back from a white forehead, 
and her deep-set blue eyes, with their arched 
black eyebrows and lashes, contrasted strik¬ 
ingly with Joyce ^s auburn hair and shell-pink 
coloring. Both girls wore long-sleeved blue 
aprons, and both looked dusty, flushed, and su¬ 
premely happy. 

“The desk is so shabby alongside of that 
pretty brass bed,” said Evelyn. “That's why 
I thought of putting it off at the other end of 
the room.” 

“But you can't see to write there.” 

“I know it, but what can I do! It's not a 
very good time to ask father for a new desk, 
is it?” 

“Well, hardly!” exclaimed Joyce, beginning 
to get one of her frequent attacks of giggles. 
“Not when he's just managed to buy this dar¬ 
ling house after the hardest sort of time! I 
thought we were going to have to camp out on 
the sidewalk. No, Evelyn, you must keep the 
old desk for a while. Now, if it were mine, I'd 





OUT OF THE WINDOW 


3 


put —Joyce spun slowly all the way around 
on her heel, gazing at every inch of the room 
in turn. 

‘‘Well, wherer’ 

“Between the windows!^’ 

As she spoke, Joyce gave a jump toward the 
east wall of the room, where two narrow old- 
fashioned windows with small panes of glass 
were opened to admit the warm October after¬ 
noon breeze. 

“Here, Evelyn, let^s move the bookcase 
you’ve got here down beside the closet. Your 
books will be just as convenient there. And 
now for the desk!” 

Together the two girls drew the desk to the 
space between the windows, where it fitted 
easily, and where the bright light from the open 
sky seemed to bring out the soft glow of the old 
wood rather than emphasize its defects. 

“I knew you’d have a good idea, Joyce. You 
always do have good ones—that is, for a kid!” 
said Evelyn teasingly. “I guess I can write 
well enough on this desk, even if it is old. I 
shall just sit here and scribble and look at the 
river all day long.” 

“Well, I,” declared Joyce emphatically, 
“shall go out into that lovely red and yellow 
park the first minute I get a chance. Oh, Eve¬ 
lyn, isn’t it just perfectly wonderful to have 
a house in New York? I thought I wouldn’t 





4 


LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


like living Vay over East here after having 
been used to those big West Side apartment 
houses all my life, but honestly I never was so 
happy! Isn ^t it lovely to own stairs % ^ ^ 

“There's nothing like it!" agreed Evelyn. 
“And just think, we're in the middle of a whole 
row of dear little red brick houses like this one, 
right on the park and the river! I wonder 
what the people here are like, and if there are 
any other girls for us to know?" 

“There are," declared the sharp-eyed Joyce, 
“for I saw several coming home from school 
this afternoon when I was on the stoop telling 
the moving-man about the piano. They went 
into other houses in the row." 

“I hope they'll be nice," said Evelyn. 

Two floors below, a front door suddenly 
banged, and a burst of melodious whistling 
floated up the stairwell. 

“There's Dick!" cried Joyce. “I'm going 
to get him to unnail the book-boxes!" 

She dashed down the precious stairs, and 
Evelyn, rather tired from her busy day, sank 
down for a moment at her desk by the window, 
to think over the Bany family's latest posses¬ 
sion, a small old-fashioned house in a beautiful 
but unfashionable New York neighborhood. 

For eight years the Barrys had lived happily 
in a comfortable apartment on the other side 
of the city, but a sudden and heavy increase in 





OUT OF THE WINDOW 5 

» I ■■■ II ——■ ■ . .. 

their rent had caused them to look for quarters 
elsewhere. No other apartments were to be 
found in their own section of the city, however, 
and the family were contemplating leaving New 
York altogether, at great inconvenience to Mr. 
Barry’s business, when, by the greatest good 
fortune, the present house had been offered to 
them. 

An old lady who had long been a friend of 
Mr. and Mrs. Barry, and who had lived in the 
house for over twenty years, suddenly decided 
to give up housekeeping and go to live with 
her married daughter. She offered the house 
at a price which Mr. Barry could afford to pay, 
and so quickly was the arrangement made, that 
the five Barrys had moved in only six weeks 
after the purchase. 

Though still a little dazed by the suddenness 
of the move, Evelyn and Joyce considered the 
house perfectly enchanting. Situated far up¬ 
town, on a street running parallel to the river 
front and separated from it only by a charming 
little park, the house, like its neighbors in the 
row, was three stories high, built with a wind¬ 
ing stoop and an arched doorway. The two 
lower stories of red brick were topped with a 
third of blue slate, and a thick wisteria vine, 
to which many leaves still clung, stretched from 
the basement to the roof. 

To Evelyn, the most delightful thing about 





6 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


the house was the fact that the front room in 
the blue-slate third story was entirely her own. 
The two smaller ones in the back belonged to 
Joyce and Dick, the sixteen-year-old son of the 
house. Evelyn had never before had a room 
all to herself, and in the apartment she had 
always had much ado to find space for her 
many books and the numerous plays and stories 
that she loved to write after school hours. 

‘'No more of that now, though!’’ she thought 
happily to herself. “I»ll use this desk just to 
write on—it needn’t be a storehouse any more. 
And what a view! No more pavements and 
fire-escapes I ” 

The scene lying before her was certainly one 
which could be seen from few homes in any city. 
The new” house was directly opposite the 
junction of two rivers, the Harlem to the north 
and the East River to the south, and in the wide 
silver stream Evelyn could see several islands, 
still green. On the opposite shore many tall, 
picturesque smokestacks of busy factories 
stood out against the pale blue autumn sky, and 
far in the distance a great steel bridge, which 
a train was crossing, joined the city and Long 
Island. In the foreground was what Joyce had 
called the “red and yellow park,” and the 
brightest spot in the gay scene consisted of four 
scarlet chimneys that peeped above the topmost 
boughs of the gorgeous trees. 




OUT OF THE WINDOW 


7 


II 11 I I I . . 11 ■! 

For several minutes Evelyn gazed raptur¬ 
ously at the scene before her, and then, sud¬ 
denly, a girlish voice which seemed, strangely 
enough, to come from outside the window, 
broke on her ear: 

“If we leave it here, it’ll be cool in no time/’ 

“All right, but don’t put it on the ledge, it 
might fall down,” replied another girl’s voice, 
warningly. 

Her curiosity fully aroused, Evelyn thrust 
her head half-way out of the window, and there, 
on a little railed stone balcony that adorned the 
third story of the house next door, were two 
girls her own age, setting a very large pan of 
steaming fudge on the balcony floor. 

For an instant, Evelyn gazed at them in si¬ 
lence and they at her. Then she quickly recol¬ 
lected herself. 

“Oh, excuse me!” she apologized smilingly, 
starting to draw back. 

“Don’t go away,” said the elder of the two 
politely. She was slim and graceful, and wore 
her light brown hair stylishly puffed over her 
ears and knotted low behind. “You’re just 
moving in to-day, aren’t you? We heard a 
family named Barry was coming.” 

“Yes, I’m Evelyn Barry,” replied Evelyn. 
“Do you girls live next door?” 

“I do,” said the slim girl. “My name is 
Priscilla Cleveland, and this is Dorothy Stone. 




8 


LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


She lives in the back alley. Don't yon, Dotty?" 

Dorothy, a plump, athletic maiden in a middy 
blouse, shook her black bobbed locks defiantly 
at Priscilla, and laughed. 

“That's what everyone here calls Straiton 
Court," she explained to Evelyn. ‘<Do you 
know where that is?" 

y^s, it's where these houses turn and 
^n around a garden right behind us. I think 
it's the dearest place!" answered Evelyn. ‘‘I 
noticed it when father brought me here to see 
this house, and it looked so cosy that at first I 

was disappointed because our house wasn't 
there." 

^Ha, ha!" cried Dorothy triumphantly. 

See how the back alley impresses strangers, 
Prissy. I guess you think you'll like it here," 
she added to Evelyn. 

^ I m sure I shall! You see, I've never lived 
in a house before, only in an apartment. I 
think this is going to be wonderful!" 

“It is pretty nice," said Priscilla, looking at 
Evelyn with a friendly and appreciative smile. 
IVe always lived here, and I still like it!" 

She tested the fudge with a knife, and then 
said: 

This is hard enough now, Dorothy. You 
cut up that end, and I 'll cut this one.'' 

I m going to have a little tiny piece first," 
announced Dorothy, and having dug out three 





OUT OF THE WINDOW 


9 


portions which were certainly not tiny, or even 
little, and conveyed one of them to Evelyn, who 
proved herself a good catch, she joined Pris¬ 
cilla in carving np the fudge industriously. 
Evelyn knelt down on her floor close by the 
window, and the girls continued to talk. 

‘‘We’re making this for our club to sell,” ex¬ 
plained Priscilla, “and we brought it up here 
to my room to cool before my two brothers got 
home from school, or there wouldn’t have been 
a piece left I” 

“Oh, have you a club? How nice!” said 
Evelyn, much interested. 

“We’ve only just started it-” 

“Priscilla got it up,” interjected Dorothy. 

“It has seven members so far, aU girls that 
live here in our block.” 

“Except Kose Willing,” said Dorothy. 

“Oh, yes, she lives in the JafPrey House,” 
agreed Priscilla. “You haven’t been there yet, 
I suppose?” 

“No, I don’t know where it is,” said Evelyn. 

“It’s that old house up on the hill in the 
middle of the park,” explained Priscilla, wav¬ 
ing her fudge-knife towards the river. “See 
those four red chimneys just over the trees? 
That’s the Jatfrey House. It was built about 
a hundred and twenty years ago, and last spring 
it was made into a museum. Rose’s father is 
the curator, so she lives there.” 





10 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


‘‘What sort of things does your club do?” 
asked Evelyn. 

“First, we gave a fair to raise money for the 
Fresh Air Fund, and to-day all the girls are 
making candy to sell to-morrow afternoon at 
school, when the Senior Class gives an enter¬ 
tainment for the Junior Red Cross. And pretty 
soon we are going to help with a neighborhood 
•entertainment that is going to be given to raise 
funds for our public library, to buy books for 
the Children ’s Room. Of course we like to help 
other people, but what we really are going to be, 
if we can, is a dramatic club. We all love to 
act, and we want to give our own plays. In the 
meantime, though, we have to live up to our 
name, don^t we, Dorothy?” 

“We certainly do, and I think we’re man¬ 
aging to,” replied her friend. 

“What is your club-name, if I may ask?” in¬ 
quired Evelyn. 

“We call ourselves ‘The Linger-Nots,’ so 
we’ll always keep going ahead,” answered 
Priscilla. 

Evelyn’s eyes sparkled. These would be 
wonderful girls to know! What a place to live, 
with seven other girls her own age, a river, a 
park, and a museum! And the girls liked plays 
just as much as she did, apparently. There was 
no end to what this new home on the parkway 
might produce. 




OUT OF THE WINDOW 


11 


As Evelyn looked across the park once more, 
and again took in the beauties of her surround¬ 
ings, a thin curl of smoke began to rise out of 
the second of the four red chimneys on the 
Jaffrey House. 

‘‘Oh, Eose has lit her fire!’^ said Dorothy, 
following Evelyn’s gaze. “She promised to 
make a lot of popcorn for to-morrow. Isn’t she 
the dearest girl, even if she does seem to keep 
so much to herself? Prissy, I think we ought 
to go in now and tie this fudge up in pack¬ 
ages.” 

“I really must go,” said Evelyn hastily. 
“Mother will be wondering what has become 
of me. Thank you so much for the nice fudge, 
girls!” 

“Maybe we’ll see you at school,” suggested 
the ever-polite Priscilla. “Shall you go to the 
Clifton?” 

“Yes, Joyce—^my sister—and I have been 
transferred there.” 

“Then we’ll see you to-morrow,” said both 
Priscilla and Dorothy in exact concert. Then, 
laughing because they had spoken simultane¬ 
ously, they picked up the fudge-pan and dis¬ 
appeared through the window into Priscilla’s 
room. ’ ’ 

Evelyn descended the three flights of stairs 
to the dining-room in the twinkling of an eye, 
and enfolded her mother, who was trying to 




12 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


find a table-cloth for dinner, in the most violent 
of affectionate embraces. 

‘‘Oh, mother dear,^’ she cried, “I^m so glad 
we moved! I^m going to find some glorious 
friends. We^re going to have some splendid 
times and have lots of happy things happen. ’ ’ 

“That’s the way to feel about it,” replied her 
mother. “Just as sure as you feel that way 
straight through about friends, no matter what 
their faults, just that sure you will have them. ’ ’ 




CHAPTER n 


THE EXCURSION 

I N a few days the Barrys were settled, and 
in a week more Evelyn had become ac¬ 
quainted with the seven neighbors whom 
she had longed to meet. 

They all went to the Clifton School, and 
though they were in different classes, as their 
ages ranged from twelve to fifteen, they were, 
as it happened, all assigned to the same section 
of the domestic science course. 

This was a class which Evelyn enjoyed, al¬ 
though she was frankly not very fond of cook¬ 
ing. But the fact that she met the Linger-Nots 
in the class was not the only reason she liked 
it. One of its chief charms, in Evelyn ^s eyes, 
was a program of excursions, arranged from 
time to time, to factories, bakeries, and markets 
where the young idea was taught to shoot in the 
most modern way in regard to foodstuffs. Eve¬ 
lyn, and it is to be feared, some of the others, 
as well, enjoyed the adventure of the excur¬ 
sions as much as the instruction. 

13 


14 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


Not so Joyce, however, or, for that matter, 
Dick. 

‘‘Our domestic science class is going on an 
excursion this afternoon,’’ announced Evelyn, 
one morning at breakfast. “Isn’t it splendid, 
mother, we ’re going to be right across the river 
to Astoria, where I’ve always wanted to ex¬ 
plore. ’ ’ 

“The real point is, what are you going to 
learn?” remarked Dick instructively, helping 
himself liberally to more griddle-cakes. 

“We’re going to a big bakery, to learn how 
to bake bread and cake and crackers properly,” 
answered Joyce. 

“Good!” said Dick approvingly. “That’s a 
fine thing for girls to know.” 

“I guess you mean it makes fine things for 
boys to eat,” said Joyce astutely. 

‘ ‘ Honestly, I never thought of that, ’ ’ said the 
innocent Dick. “But of course I’ll be glad to 
know that those fierce-looking smokestacks 
across the river help to make anything as good 
as cake and crackers.” 

“Oh, Dick! Don’t you like those smoke¬ 
stacks?” exclaimed Evelyn. “I think they’re 
so interesting-looking.” 

“I don’t understand your taste,” said Dick, 
shaking his head. ‘ ‘ I like the taste of the crack¬ 
ers much better! ’ ’ 

“I’m sorry I haven’t anything to throw at 




THE EXCURSION 


15 


you for making such a terrible joke/’ declared 
Evelyn. 

‘‘You’re taking a mean advantage of us at 
the table, Dick,” said Joyce, “though I can’t 
say I think smokestacks are very romantic, 
either. But trust Evelyn to find a romance 
anywhere! Why, the other day, when we went 
to the canning factory, she said the piles of tin 
cans looked like knights in armor!” 

“Never mind,” said Evelyn stoutly, “when 
we got back to class I remembered how to make 
a jar air-tight, and you didn’t.” 

Though not everyone would have had Eve¬ 
lyn’s ideas of romance, anyone would have 
enjoyed either exploring or learning with the 
merry party that she and Joyce joined that af¬ 
ternoon. The domestic science class at Clifton 
included a large group of jolly girls, and not 
the least attractive were the seven Linger-Nots. 

Besides Priscilla and Dorothy there were 
Aline Gaines, a rather sharp-featured, dark 
maiden of fourteen, and her younger sister 
Virginia, who was nearly thirteen. It had taken 
only a short acquaintance for Virginia to be¬ 
come violently attached to Joyce, and a faithful 
admirer of Evelyn. This was certainly a case 
of the attraction of opposites, for Virginia, a 
pale, childish little girl was as harum-scarum 
as Joyce and Evelyn were well-balanced. Vir¬ 
ginia and Joyce had formed a three-cornered 






16 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


friendship with a sedate damsel of thirteen 
named Muriel Ives, who was known as 
‘^Mousey’’ because she hardly ever talked. She 
was as popular, however, as good listeners al¬ 
ways are. 

There were two other girls in the group, 
Helena Hawthorne and Rose Willing. Helena 
was very tall and well-formed for her fourteen 
years, and had a beautiful fair complexion. 
She wore a very stylish gray fall suit with a 
satin hat to match. But though she was ex¬ 
tremely pretty, Evelyn thought Rose more in¬ 
teresting. 

Rose was the eldest of the Linger-Nots, being 
fifteen years old. She was tall, thin, and dark, 
with a pale, clear ivory skin and black hair. 
Her eyes were gray, and very clear, and her 
expression, though serious, very sweet. Evelyn 
noticed that all the girls, except possibly Helena, 
treated Rose with real affection, even though 
she seemed slightly formal with them. 

The chaperon of the party was Miss Lang- 
don, one of the most popular of the teachers at 
the Clifton School. She was unexpectedly ac¬ 
companying the party, for the domestic science 
teacher, who had arranged the excursion, had 
been unable to come at the last moment. Miss 
Langdon was Evelyn’s class teacher, and she 
had a real enthusiasm for excursions unknown, 




THE EXCURSION 


17 


apparently, to most teachers, so Evelyn felt 
quite at ease with her. 

so glad we’re going over to see the 
other shore of our river,” she confided, with a 
feeling that she would be understood, as they 
thundered under the river in the subway. ‘‘I’ve 
always wanted to see that side, and to look at 
our side from over there.” 

“Both sides are as interesting as they can 
be, and they always have been,” declared Miss 
Langdon. 

Evelyn was pleased with this corroboration, 
and also with an incident which happened as 
the girls were all walking up to the bakery from 
the station. On their way past one of the tall 
office buildings that lined the street, a door sud¬ 
denly opened, and out stepped two lovely maid¬ 
ens in white frocks with low necks and short 
sleeves, blue silk socks and little slippers, and 
their hair in ringlets. They had the sweetest 
of smiles on their rosy faces. They made haste 
to step into a waiting automobile, and were 
borne swiftly off. 

“Acting for the movies,” said Helena the 
experienced. “There’s the camera man.” 

“Yes, that building’s one of our most famous 
studios,” said Miss Langdon. 

“Oh, how romantic!” cried Joyce, and then, 
in some confusion, sought to avoid Evelyn’s 
twinkling eye. 




18 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


In the great bakery the girls saw cookies cut 
out a hundred at a time, and then, with a rhyth¬ 
mical swing, almost as if to music, shot into an 
oven and baked. They were told that four hun¬ 
dred kinds of crackers alone were made every 
day, and it seemed as if they were invited to 
sample every kind. They passed through 
rooms that looked literally like a fairyland of 
frost-flowers, made of thousands of iced cakes 
drying on long rows of hooks across the ceiling. 
In the basement they found railroad tracks and 
a train, a dock and a ship tied alongside, wait¬ 
ing for shipments. Even Joyce finally admit¬ 
ted a certain romance about smokestacks before 
the visit was over. 

‘‘Let^8 go home by the ferry,suggested 
Aline. ‘ ‘ There’s no need to hurry, and we can 
get the fresh air that way. It’s nearer home 
for most of us, too. Miss Langdon, is it con¬ 
venient for you!” 

“Yes, indeed, I can get a car there that goes 
right past my door. I’d love to go that way! 
It’s so interesting,” answered Miss Langdon, 
with the enthusiasm which made her such a 
favorite with the girls. 

Down to the ferry the party accordingly 
made its way, with Joyce, Virginia, and Muriel 
skipping along in the lead. Dorothy and Pris¬ 
cilla were as usual inseparable, and Aline and 
Helena accompanied the lively young teacher. 




THE EXCURSION 


19 


Evelyn was thus left by herself, but only for 
a moment. Almost immediately Rose Willing, 
who had been walking along by Priscilla, 
glanced around, saw Evelyn, and fell back into 
step beside her. 

^‘We had a good excursion to-day,” she ob¬ 
served. 

‘^Aren’t they usually good?” asked Evelyn. 

^^The things we go to see are all right. It 
depends on whom we go with to see them. Now, 
Miss Langdon always can make things go, and 
yet she doesn’t act as if she knew everything 
and thought the girls were terribly ignorant, 
the way lots of teachers do. She does know 
ever so much herself, too, though she gradu¬ 
ated from college only last year. ’ ’ 

‘‘She makes the English class very interests 
ing,” said Evelyn. 

“Oh, yes, you have her in the eighth, don’t 
you? Well, she knows all about games, and 
sports, and entertainments, and interesting 
things like those, besides lessons.” 

“I remember the first day I came to school, 
she spoke in the assembly about the Hallowe ’en 
party we’re going to have.” 

“Yes, she loves to help the girls get things 
up, all the time. So you have just come to Clif¬ 
ton ; aren’t you one of the girls that moved into 
the house on the parkway a little while ago?” 

“Yes, and that’s my sister,” replied Evelyn, 




20 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


indicating Joyce, who, to the pleasure of her 
two companions, had just discovered three un¬ 
expected crackers lingering in the depths of her 
pocket. 

“I’m the only girl in this crowd that hasn’t 
any sister or brother,” commented Rose, as 
the party entered the ferry-house. “I have just 
my father and mother, and I live in a museum, 
just like a curiosity!” 

Rose laughed heartily over her little joke, 
and so did Evelyn. So also did Helena, who 
was directly behind them in the ticket-line and 
overheard the remark, but to Evelyn her laugh 
sounded like a disagreeable titter rather than 
friendly amusement, and she glanced anxiously 
at Rose to see if she, too, had noticed it. Rose 
gave no sign of having heard it, however, and 
Eveljm was relieved, for it was the only un¬ 
pleasant thing that had happened all afternoon. 
Otherwise the affair had been perfect. 

“Hurry up, hurry up!” cried Dorothy, in 
the rear. “We don’t want to have to sit in¬ 
side ! Out on deck for us! ” 

Aboard the ferryboat the party made a dash 
for the front deck, only to find, to their amuse¬ 
ment, that they had it entirely to themselves. 
None of the other passengers seemed to care 
for October breezes off the East River, and re¬ 
mained cosily inside the cabin. 

“I hope I’ll never get so old and foolish I 




THE EXCURSION 


21 


don’t like fresh air,” observed Virginia com¬ 
placently, leaning over the rail as the boat 
pulled out of the slip, the better to observe a 
little motorboat that was scudding past. 

As she spoke, the ferryboat gave a sudden 
turn to the right into the teeth of the wind, and 
the next moment her scarlet felt hat with its 
long curly black quill was spinning lightly along 
the waves. 

‘‘Jinny!” cried Aline, snatching her adven¬ 
turous younger sister back from the rail, “there 
goes your hat that you got only last week! It 
may be a good long time till you ’re old, but you 
don’t need to wait to be foolish!” 

“I’m sorry,” said Virginia, calmly gazing at 
her dancing headgear, “but it’s only my sec¬ 
ond-best hat, and I always did hate it, anyway. 
I’d just as leave wear my tarn. Oh, look at it 
jump! ’ ’ 

It was undoubtedly jumping in the liveliest 
manner in the midst of a little current of white- 
caps that flowed rapidly in the middle of an 
otherwise rather calm stream. All the girls 
except Aline were rather entertained by it, but 
she was trying rather too hard to impress on 
Virginia the undeniable fact that hats cost 
money. Miss Langdon thought it wise to inter¬ 
vene. 

“Of course the hat jumps!” she laughed, 
“for it’s right in the middle of the place where 




22 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


the Harlem and the East River rush together, 
and makes this violent current which people 
still call Hell Gate. It used to be very dan¬ 
gerous here for ships. 

‘Hs it now?’’ asked Muriel. 

‘^Oh, no, indeed. It was the high rocks which 
made it dangerous, and most of them have been 
blasted out. Some people always knew the 
channel, though, even when the rocks were here, 
and there’s a story of a man who rowed a boat 
straight through Hell Gate in order to get a 
sailor aboard his ship, which was waiting on 
the other side. It was a French sailor, whose 
ship was being chased by an English vessel, 
and the really strange thing about the story is 
that the sailor was swept off the yard-arm of 
his ship on the lawn of the Jaffrey House by an 
overhanging tree! ’ ’ 

“Why, the idea!” cried Aline, forgetting all 
about the iniquities of Virginia. “And there’s 
the Jaffrey House now, standing on the point! 
How pretty it looks, with the park around it 
just like private grounds!” 

The girls looked up at the old yellow house 
with interest. It fronted the point exactly, and 
its walls were as square as the sides of a band- 
box, but it had a very homelike air, and its very 
plainness gave it a certain dignity. Its only 
ornaments were a wide porch and a deep, slop- 





THE EXCURSION 


23 


ing red roof, which was ornamental as well as 
useful because of its shape and siz«p. 

The spectators on the ferryboat had an ex¬ 
cellent view of the old house, for the channel in 
which the boat ran was very crooked, bearing 
witness to the historic reputation of the pas¬ 
sage. The boat turned again to the right, pro¬ 
ceeded some distance upstream, turned to the 
left and doubled on her course as she ap¬ 
proached the opposite shore, and slowly swung 
all the way around the point to find her slip. 

‘‘What a deep roof that house has!’’ said 
Dorothy. “It’s nearly as deep as a third story. 
Is there only an attic under it, Rose?” 

“Yes, it’s just an attic with one window,” 
answered Rose. “I’ve been there only once. 
At present it’s full of donations, which have to 
stay there until they can be unpacked and ar¬ 
ranged in the museum. Father and his assist¬ 
ants are working as fast as they can, but there 
are trunkfuls of stutf up there.” 

“A treasure-house under the scarlet roof!” 
said Miss Langdon. “What a thing it is to have 
that house left to give us an idea of the time 
when both sides of this river were covered with 
country estates! We don’t realize what a place 
of romance we’re living in. When I look at 
that roof of yours. Rose, I think there must be 
a library of stories under it.” 

It looked indeed as if the scarlet roof was 




24 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


built to provide immense storage space, for its 
appearance made it seem almost to be built in 
two stories. The top one, it was true, was very 
small, and seemed as if put on for extra pro¬ 
tection, sloping back gradually from the over¬ 
hanging eaves. The whole effect was very 
quaint and attractive, as it made the square 
house look rather like one of the toy houses in 
a child ^s miniature village. 

The pdot^s warning-bell rang, the boat 
bumped into her slip, the deckhands leaped 
ashore and flung themselves on the mooring- 
ropes, and the fresh-air party on the deck were 
the first to step ashore from the boat. 

After seeing Miss Langdon on board her car, 
the girls separated. 

‘'Let^s go and get some soda,’' said Virginia 
to Joyce and Muriel. know a new place 
where ice-cream soda is only ten cents!” 

Evidently the reckless Virginia had her own 
way of being thrifty. Aline looked more ap¬ 
proving than at any time since the luckless hat 
had vanished, and announced that she would 
go too. Thereupon Virginia offered to stop at 
home on the way to the new candy-store, and 
don her tarn, in order to make the party more 
respectable in appearance, and the four girls 
moved off in great harmony. 

Dorothy and Helena went off together to 
study for a history examination, Priscilla cried 






THE EXCURSION 


25 


out that her music teacher would he tearing out 
his hair by handfuls if she did not reach home 
in exactly two minutes, and fled down the street. 
Evelyn was again left with Rose, and the two 
girls strolled slowly down Willett Parkway to¬ 
gether. 

‘‘Have you been over to see the museum, 
Evelyn?’’ asked Rose. 

“No, not yet,” replied Evelyn, “but I hope 
to, soon. What sort of collections have you 
there ? ’ ’ 

“All sorts of interesting objects connected 
with early American life and customs,” an¬ 
swered Rose. “Father has just five rooms com¬ 
pleted so far, for it’s rather a new museum, 
you know. I suppose the girls told you that 
a patriotic society owns all the things. It’s 
called the Old Landmark Society, and father’s 
their curator. We have some wonderful fur¬ 
niture and china, and special curiosities, too, 
like a pair of Washington’s spurs, and a pi¬ 
rate’s saber that Decatur brought home from 
Tripoli with him. And in the attic, in the 
trunks that I spoke of, father says there are 
the most beautiful dresses and embroideries. I 
just can’t wait to see them!” 

“How perfectly glorious to have so many 
things like that around you all the time I ’ ’ cried 
Evel)^!, with sparkling eyes. “Aren’t you 
lucky, Rose!” 




26 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


‘^Then you like such things, too, do you?’^ 

‘‘Oh, yes, I love them, though I have never 
seen so very many, but whenever I do, I feel 
almost as if I knew the people who used them. 
Things like those all tell stories,’’ said Evelyn 
enthusiastically. 

“I never get tired of them, though I’ve been 
used to them all my life,” said Rose, “because, 
you see, my father’s business is to take care of 
such things. If you like them too I’d be glad to 
have you come and see me on Friday afternoon 
and I’ll show you over the whole museum. See, 
here’s where I live.” 

She stopped in front of the northern entrance 
to Willett Park, where a flagged walk winding 
through the trees led to the wide rear door of 
the Jaffrey House. 

“You go right up those steps and ring the 
bell,” she added. “We live on the second 
floor, where those curtains are. I don’t know 
what you’ll think of our—shall I say, apart-' 
ment ? At any rate, it’s interesting I It was the 
extra guest-wing in the old days.” 

“I’d love to see it,” said Evelyn, “and Fri¬ 
day will suit me perfectly. Thank you so much. 
Rose.” 

“All right,” called Rose, as she went up the 
path, “come early, and I’ll show you all the 
dungeons and ghosts!” 





CHAPTER in 


UNDEE THE FOUR BED CHIMNEYS 

F riday afternoon was wet and windy, 
but Evelyn mounted the rear steps of the 
Jatfrey House in high spirits. Rose an¬ 
swered her ring promptly, and at once led her 
up a narrow, straight flight of stairs, placed 
close beside the door, to the second story. 

First you must come and see where we 
live,’’ said Rose, ‘‘and then we’ll go through 
the museum. ’ ’ 

The stairs ended in a narrow hall that ran 
parallel to the rear wall of the house. Five 
small, white-paneled doors were ranged along 
one side of the hall, and evidently opened into 
the rooms with the curtained windows which 
Rose had pointed out to Evelyn the afternoon 
of the excursion. The largest of these doors, 
the one at the far end of the hall. Rose threw 
hospitably open, showing a pleasant sitting- 
room which seemed to be nested high in the 
tossing branches of the trees that could be seen 
through the large square windows on two sides 
of the room. 


27 


28 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


A lady who looked for all the world like Eose 
except for the fact that her hair was gray, was 
sitting beside one of the windows sewing. She 
looked np with a smile as the two girls entered. 

‘‘So this is our new neighbor!’’ she said cor¬ 
dially. “I’m glad to see you, Evelyn. You 
have chosen a splendid day to come. I mean,” 
she added with a laugh, as an unusually violent 
gust of wind howled outside, “that there will 
probably be few visitors here this afternoon, 
and you and Eose will have the whole museum 
to yourselves and can examine everything as 
much as you like. ’ ’ 

“I know I shall enjoy it,” answered Evelyn. 
“What fun it must be to live here! ” 

“We spend most of our time going in and 
out of doors, as Eose will show you, ’ ’ said Mrs. 
Willing merrily, “but otherwise it’s quite ro¬ 
mantic ! ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ Come and see what mother means, ’ ’ invited 
Eose, leading Evelyn into the hall again, and 
opening the next door. 

“This is our dining-room,” she announced, 
ushering Eose into a small but prettily fur¬ 
nished room, ‘ ‘ and you are now looking, Evelyn, 
on our one door of communication I It was 
especially put in for us. ’ ’ 

She indicated a modern swinging door of 
dark wood, to match the dining-room wood¬ 
work, which was set in the far wall. 




UNDER THE POUR RED CHIMNEYS 29 


‘‘We just said we couldn’t carry every single 
teaspoon and butterplate from the kitchen next 
door out into the hall and back into this room! 
So the society gave us that door.” 

‘ ‘ I should hope so! ” said Evelyn. ‘ ‘ But why 
don’t these rooms communicate, Rose?” 

“Because they were used only as extra guest¬ 
rooms,” explained Rose. “You know at the 
time this house was built, people entertained a 
great deal, and this house was built as the Jaf- 
freys’ summer home, but even so, they seldom 
used this wing, as the house is so large. It was 
really just for emergencies, when there were 
great numbers of guests. I hope it was more 
convenient for the guests than it is for us. It 
certainly must have been private. ’ ’ 

“How nice to know about the people who 
lived here first!” said Evelyn, following Rose 
down the narrow hall. “How did you find out 
about them?” 

“Why, father once wrote a book about the 
family histories of a number of old American 
families,” answered Rose, “and the Jatfrey 
family was one of them. But there’s really 
very little known about them, except that the 
original Jaffrey was one of our first shipbuild¬ 
ers. They always lived very quietly, and then 
I believe they lived abroad for a good many 
years. Here is my room, Evelyn.” 

Situated at the other end of the hall from the 




30 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


sitting-room, Rose’s apartment corresponded 
to the former in shape, though it was consid¬ 
erably smaller. The furniture was unlike any¬ 
thing Evelyn had ever seen, being made of 
gracefully shaped lightweight mahogany, very 
old-fashioned but pleasing, for each piece had 
whimsical little ornaments which gave it an air 
of individuality. The bedstead Tiad curious 
bits of carving which seemed to dance on the 
head and footboards, the rocking-chair had the 
longest and most tapering rockers, surely, that 
were ever made, and the tall pile of bureau- 
drawers glittered with manyrfaceted glass 
knobs which served as handles. On one side 
of the room was a large brick fireplace, jutting 
far out on the floor. The old-fashioned wain¬ 
scoting resembled the furniture in tint, and the 
harmonizing color-scheme carried out in the 
whole apartment was enhanced by the light 
which fell from the south and west windows 
through rose-garlanded curtains. Altogether, 
it was an unusual room, but one that was highly 
appropriate to Rose, and Evelyn exclaimed 
with delight: 

‘‘How pretty! Where did you get such 
lovely furniture?” 

“Father found it once in an old store down¬ 
town. His work takes him to places like that 
all the time. But the things aren’t really val¬ 
uable, for they aren’t very old. They’re just 





UNDER THE FOUR RED CHIMNEYS 31 


quaint/’ explained Rose. ‘^Now, you must 
have seen enough of the Willing residence! 
Let’s go to the museum. There are just five 
rooms arranged so far, but the collection will 
fill the whole house some day.” 

As she talked, she led the way back to the 
head of the narrow staircase up which the girls 
had come, where the hall turned and ran 
through to the front of the house. A large 
white staircase with a square landing halfway 
down, and a beautifully carved banister with a 
flat railing of dark polished wood, led down to 
the main hall. 

Off this six rooms opened. The smallest of 
these, directly beside the front door, was the 
curator’s office, and in it Evelyn caught sight 
of two clerks working at their desks. Opposite 
the office was a large room filled with the won¬ 
derful old American china and furniture of 
which Rose had spoken. Next came a whole 
roomful of gorgeous silk and satin gowns in 
Colonial and Empire styles. The two girls 
lingered a long time over the wonderful yellow 
and lavender brocades, and the marvelously 
embroidered silk shawls. 

‘‘Here’s where the ladies wore those things, 
perhaps,” suggested Rose, flinging open the 
large door in the center of the hall, at the back 
of the house. 





32 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


‘^The ball-room!^’ cried Evelyn. ‘^Oh, what 
a floor 

‘‘This room is going to be left as it is/^ said 
Rose. “The Society thinks it would be a pity 
to fill it with exhibits, when the walls are so 
beautiful. Father worked a long time getting 
the panels restored.’^ 

The panels to which she referred were of 
white satin with a design in gold, and they were 
set in gilt frames along the walls and between 
the windows. A mirror about a foot high was 
set in the wainscoting all the way around the 
room. 

“That was to show the ladies’ slippers and 
trains,” explained Rose, as the idea of com¬ 
paring the different periods came into her 
mind. “Isn’t it wonderful! The girls liked 
lovely things then just as they do now.” 

“And they had pretty things too,” added 
Evelyn. “The draperies gave them a chance 
to be not only pretty but graceful, as all the old 
paintings show.” 

^ Rose sighed as the vision passed before her. 

“I suppose,’’ she commented, ‘‘that the world 
doesn’t get better, it merely changes.” 

“I do wonder where father is,” she suddenly 
exclaimed. ‘ ‘ Oh, I guess he must be in the ship 
room. That’s next door. ’ ’ 

The small ship room was a curious place fur¬ 
nished only with glass showcases, small ones 





UNDER THE FOUR RED CHIMNEYS 33 


arranged in rows along the walls, and large 
ones standing on the floor. They were all filled 
with models of sailing ships. Some were three- 
masted vessels with sail full set, others were 
frigates and fishing-schooners, and still others 
men-of-war, as was evident from the cannon 
peeping through the sides. Before one case 
which contained a model of a saucy little brig 
stood an elderly gentleman with very white hair 
and a kindly, interesting face. He was peering 
anxiously at the bow of the ship. 

‘‘Father, dear, this is my friend Evelyn Bar¬ 
ry, come over from the parkway to see the mu¬ 
seum,’^ cried Rose, advancing into the room. 

“How do you do?’’ inquired Mr. Willing, 
shaking hands with Evelyn with a stately, old- 
fashioned bow that was very flattering. 

Then he turned to Rose. 

“My dear daughter,” he said in a rather dis¬ 
tressed tone, “I am afraid that the yard-arm 
on this model has been jarred loose by that very 
incompetent expressman who brought in this 
donation yesterday. Actually, he threw it down 
on my desk!” 

“It’s not much damaged, father,” answered 
Rose, examining the ship. “I’ll get your glue, 
and you can fix it right away. Just think: he 
might easily have thrown it from the top of his 
wagon to the sidewalk!” 

“My daughter is of great help to me,” ex- 




34 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


plained Mr. Willing to Evelyn as Rose ran into 
the ojffice. He spoke with considerable relief, 
and quite as if she were a grown-up person in¬ 
stead of a girl his daughter’s age. ‘‘She al¬ 
ways thinks of such things as glue, for in¬ 
stance. ’ ’ 

“It must be hard to think of things like—like 
glue,” answered Evelyn, a little confused by 
his manner, and then still more so to find that 
she had ended her sentence in so extraordinary 
a way. But Mr. Willing was looking so hard at 
the model that at first she thought he had for¬ 
gotten her. 

‘ ‘ True, ’ ’ he answered suddenly, rather to her 
embarrassment, “and yet, such details are very 
important, especially in the case of such things 
as these ships, which the Society is very for¬ 
tunate to have. They are especially appro¬ 
priate as an exhibit in this house.” 

“Do you mean because Mr. Jaffrey was a 
shipbuilder ? ’ ’ 

“Partly,” said Mr. Willing, looking pleased 
at Evelyn’s intelligent question; “the Jaffrey 
ships went all over the world. Then, too, every 
type of ship known in a century or more has 
passed this famous observation point at the 
junction of the two rivers, merchantmen and 
warships both, and a great naval battle was ex¬ 
pected here once, in the War of 1812, though it 
never took place.” 





UNDER THE FOUR RED CHIMNEYS 35 


At this interesting point, Rose came back 
with the glue-pot. 

Thank you, my dear,’^ said Mr. Willing, 
‘‘now your poor father will be happy for some 
time! But I’m sure there are things here more 
interesting to young ladies than ship models 
are. Has your friend seen our curiosities! 

“Not yet,’^ replied Rose, “let’s go next door 
and look at them, Evelyn.” 

As they left the room, she continued: 

“Father will be perfectly happy now! You 
see, he’s planning a book on ‘Famous Amer¬ 
ican Fighting Ships,’ and he spends his time 
examining those models whenever he has any 
leisure. Now, this room is the Curiosity Room. 
So far it’s the best in the museum. Maybe by 
and by there will be something better upstairs, 
but the second floor isn’t arranged yet. We’ve 
only just got the painters out of the assembly^ 
room. The Society is going to have one of the 
rooms fitted up for a lecture hall, you know. 
But whatever they do, I ’ll always like this room 
best.” 

The room was literally filled with treasures. 
Beautiful old American silver—cups, porrin¬ 
gers, and spoons—glittered beside a pair of 
Benjamin Franklin’s brass andirons and a gold 
locket containing some of Lafayette’s hair. 
There was a splendid collection of historic med¬ 
als ordered struck by Congress, and one wall 




36 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


of the room was covered with wonderfully em¬ 
broidered samplers. 

‘‘Come and look at this one in the middle,” 
said Rose. “It^s my favorite. Just think, it 
was made by a girl who lived in this house. 
“It’s our one souvenir of the Jaffrey family.” 

“Really?” asked Eveljm. “Who was she?” 

“Esther Jaffrey, the daughter of the man 
who built it. She made this in 1814, when she 
was sixteen.” 

“Why, she’s put the house on it,” said Eve- 
lyn, coming close to the sampler and examining 
it with interest. “How natural it looks—see 
the smoke coming out of the chimney! ’ ’ 

“Yes, and I suppose the flowers grew in her 
garden,” said Rose, “and she must have made 
up the verse herself.” 

“I thought real samplers always had alpha¬ 
bets, though. There’s just the verse here.” 

“Oh, if she was sixteen when she made it, it 
must have been the twentieth she had done!” 
said Rose. “They started girls doing those 
things as soon as they could talk, in those days. 

I guess they let her off from the alphabet that 
time. ’ ’ ’ 

“It’s very pretty, anyway,” said Evelyn. 

The sampler was on light brown linen, but 
the unfading dyes of a century ago still showed 
the careful stitches in the square yellow house 
with its red roof, and the graceful border of 




UNDER THE FOUR RED CHIMNEYS 37 


various flowers was a brilliant combination of 
green, red, and purple. The quaint stanza 
read: 

Esther Jaffrey is my name. 

I, a maid of quiet fame, 

Have this flowered sampler wrought— 

Mixed my zest and skill with thought,— 

That the world might understand 
How I loved my native land. 

Loved my home and city, too. 

Maids who read, be also true! ^ ’ 

“Look, Rose,^^ said Evelyn, whose eye had 
caught sight of an x and z in close conjunction. 
“I believe Esther did put in every letter of the 
alphabet, after all. Yes, she did!’’ 

^ ‘ Then they didn’t let her off! ” sighed Rose. 
“Oh, those poor girls!” 

After a pleasant half-hour among the curi¬ 
osities the two girls were about to return up¬ 
stairs, when there was a sharp ring at the door¬ 
bell, and Rose, going to the door, admitted 
Priscilla, dripping with rain. 

“Hello, Rose,” she said, “I’m not going to 
stop. I’m just bringing back the book you lent 
me—why, there’s Evelyn!” 

“Yes, she’s been here all afternoon,” an¬ 
swered Rose. “Come upstairs, Prissy, and 
let’s find some food. Aren’t you starving?” 

“I always am,” declared Priscilla mourn- 




38 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


fully, ‘^but I didn^t mean to invite myself to 
your party, even soP’ 

However, she was prevailed to mount the 
stairs, and Rose ‘‘found’’ materials for 
a pitcher of lemonade, as well as a platter of 
cookies. 

“I was so surprised to see you because I was 
going to stop at your house on my way back,” 
said Priscilla to Evelyn. “I wanted to see you 
specially. Rose knows why, don’t you. Rose ? ’ ’ 

Rose, busy assuaging the pangs of starva¬ 
tion, nodded solemnly from the midst of a 
cookie. 

“The girls want me to ask you and Joyce to 
join our club. They elected you both at the last 
meeting. ’ ’ 

“Oh, Priscilla, I’d just love to join!” cried 
Evelyn, enthusiastically. “And so would 
Joyce, I’m sure—she goes around with Virginia 
and Muriel all the time, now. It’s lovely of the 
girls to ask us—and so soon!” 

“We meet Monday afternoons at each 
other’s houses,” explained Priscilla, “and so 
you and Joyce must come to Dorothy’s next 
Monday. It will be a very important meeting, 
for we’re going to give our first play in the 
spring, and we must start deciding about it 
soon. Miss Langdon says she will help us.” 

“Everybody will want something different,” 
prophesied Rose, darkly. 




UNDER THE FOUR RED CHIMNEYS 39 


‘‘Oh, they always do at first,’’ said expe¬ 
rienced President Priscilla cheerfully, “but the 
thing to do is to let them all talk and have 
something absolutely new and gorgeous all 
ready to spring on them, and then they all 
forget what they wanted, and want that I* ^ 

“It is no wonder, Priscilla,” laughed Bose, 
“that you always inspire confidence! You 
know human nature and how to forgive as well 
as to satisfy. That’s some education!” 




CHAPTER IV 


THE LINGER-NOTS MEET 

O N Monday afternoon the living-room of 
Dorothy’s house in the ‘‘back alley” 
presented a lively scene. Soon after 
three o’clock all the nine Linger-Nots were 
comfortably squeezed into it, for nobody 
minded a little crowding in an important cause. 
To preserve the dignity of her office, Priscilla, 
as presiding officer, was prevailed on to take 
the Morris chair, a doubtful honor, as she could 
not preside leaning back, and so was obliged 
to sit upright without any support. Aline, who 
was secretary, occupied another chair beside 
the table, in order to keep her minutes, but all 
the other girls distributed themselves cosily on 
the couch, in the window-seats, on hassocks, 
and on the floor, laughing and chattering 
'merrily. 

“Girls,” began Priscilla promptly, “we’ve 
got to work to-day and work hard, so the meet¬ 
ing will please come right to order, and talk 
afterwards! Will the secretary please read 
the minutes?” 


40 


THE LINGER-NOTS MEET 


41 


Aline rose impressively, and read from her 
note-book: 

‘‘At the last meeting of the Linger-Not Club, 
the secretary was instructed to reply to the in¬ 
vitation of the Women’s Block Committee, ask¬ 
ing if the girls would take a number on the 
program of the entertainment being given to | 
raise money to buy new books for the Chil¬ 
dren’s Room in the Public Library, and thank | 
the Committee for the invitation, and say that 
the club would be happy to accept it by giving 
a piece called ‘Eight Bells,’ about ten minutes 
long”- 

At this point Aline was absolutely obliged to 
pause for breath, and the club impolitely snick¬ 
ered. 

“Aline’s sentences are as long as the piece,” 
murmured Dorothy to Evelyn. 

“This piece was suggested by Helena Haw¬ 
thorne,” continued Aline, “and consists of 
tableaux with music. The rest of the meeting 
was taken up with choosing parts for each girl, 
after which the meeting adjourned.” 

Evelyn, glancing admiringly at Helena, who 
seemed to have good ideas, was struck with 
the fact that the originator of this delightful 
contribution to the entertainment program 
looked remarkably sulky. Dorothy intercepted 
her glance. 

“Helena’s awfully mad about the way the 






42 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


parts went/’ she whispered, under cover of 
the noise made by accepting the minutes. ‘ ^ She 
wanted the best one herself, and the girls all 
said Rose must have it because she would do 
it better. Wait till you see the rehearsal after¬ 
wards ! ’ ’ 

‘^Dorothy!” came from Priscilla. ^^The 
treasurer’s report, please! I’ve called for it 
three times!” 

‘^Certainly, but there’s not much to report,” 
answered Dorothy, scrambling up from the 
floor while the other girls laughed at her, 
‘Hhere is—are?—is—oh, bother!—^we have 
twenty-seven cents in the treasury! ’ ’ 

‘‘Oh, dear!” cried Priscilla, for once startled 
out of her presidential calm, while the other 
girls sat open-mouthed. “Is that all? What 
became of the four dollars we had last week?” 

“I paid it out to the girls who made the 
candy for the sale,” explained Dorothy. “You 
know we decided to furnish the materials from 
the treasury. All the items are here in my 
book. I never knew it would cost so much, 
but, anyway, we made a lot of money, seven 
dollars and a half.” 

“That’s all very nice for the Junior Red 
Cross,” cried Helena, “but what can we ever 
do with twenty-seven cents ? It’s terrible to be 
so poor, and extravagant, too! ’ ’ 

“If you and some of the other girls would 




THE LINGER-NOTS MEET 


43 


pay lip your back dues, we wouldn^t be poor!’’ 
cried Dorothy, wounded at the implication 
against her stewardship. ‘‘If I hadn’t been 
careful, the club would be in debt! If you 
think it’s easy to buy refreshments every week 
for seven girls that eat as much as you do, 
on dues of five cents a week, and have anything 
left over, you can be treasurer! ’ ’ 

“Girls,” cried Priscilla, “you’re both out 
of order! Helena, you mustn’t criticize the 
report till its acceptance is moved! Dorothy, 
you mustn’t ever make personal remarks in a 
meeting!” 

“All right, I’m sorry,” said Dorothy 
promptly, for though she was hasty, she was 
always honest enough to apologize for a fault. 
Helena, however, turned up her nose with dig¬ 
nity and gazed at a corner of the ceiling with¬ 
out a word. Rose promptly threw herself into 
the breach caused by this embarrassing situa¬ 
tion, and moved the acceptance of the treas¬ 
urer’s report. When it had passed, she spoke 
again: 

“Madam President, I move that all the 
members who owe back dues be asked to pay 
them up to date at the end of the meeting.” 

“Hurrah! I second the motion!” cried 
Dorothy. 

It was promptly carried, though Evelyn no¬ 
ticed that Helena did not vote. 




44 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


“Now I think we ought to talk over our 
big play that we want to give in the spring,’’ 
announced Priscilla. “We’re all supposed to 
have thought of ideas to suggest to-day, so 
let’s each say what we’d like.” 

“I think it would be awfully nice to give an 
operetta,” said Aline, “something like the one 
the eighth grade gave at Christmas.” 

“But none of us can sing fit to be heard 
except Helena,” objected Dorothy. “We can’t 
have it all choruses and soprano solos! Now 
I thought of a singing-school, where you don’t 
have to sing well, because it’s just funny.” 

“Oh, we don’t want our play to be funny!** 
protested Bose, and for the first time that af¬ 
ternoon, Helena agreed with someone else’s 
remark, and seconded Eose promptly: 

“No. I think our first play ought to be 
serious—and good, don’t you know.” 

“We could have a minstrel show,” proposed 
Virginia, in entire good faith. “The jokes 
never are funny—and I’d just love to black 
up!” 

The girls shouted with laughter. Helena, 
however, looked disdainful. 

“How can you be so silly. Jinny! This is 
what comes of having kids like you in the 
club. You mean well, but you’re not old enough 
to have sense.” 

Virginia looked perplexed and abashed, and 




THE LINGER-NOTS MEET 


45 


Aline, who had at first looked at her young 
sister with an expression exactly like Helena’s, 
now rushed to her defense. 

‘‘Nonsense! She didn’t mean any harm. 
And if she’s old enough to have the very first 
scene in ‘Eight Bells,’ she’s old enough to be 
in the club, I guess!” 

“All I mean is, that our play ought to be 
sort of romantic and historic—grown-up, you 
know,” explained Helena hastily, rather star¬ 
tled by this slightly personal attack. 

Priscilla, with a sigh of relief, snatched at 
this excellent idea, and hastened to steer the 
play from the shoals whither it was headed. 

“I think so too,” she agreed, “and I believe 
if we went to the library and told the librarian 
what we wanted, maybe she could find us the 
right sort of play.” 

No objection was offered to this very sensi¬ 
ble proposal, but further suggestion languished. 

“We ought to get everybody’s opinion,” 
said Priscilla, a little desperately. “Evelyn, 
what do you think we ought to give ? ’ ’ 

“Oh, I’ve just come,” replied Evelyn, shyly, 
‘ ‘ I don’t believe I know. ’ ’ 

“Never mind, I’m sure you have a good 
idea,” encouraged Priscilla. 

“Well—so long as we’re going to the Hbrary 
to look for plays, I wonder if we couldn’t see 
if there wasn’t some historical one about this 





46 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


place we live in. I think it would be interest¬ 
ing if we could act something that really hap¬ 
pened here, for lots of exciting things must 
have.^^ 

^^e girls began to look interested. 

‘^You see,’^ continued Evelyn, forgetting to 
be shy as she warmed to her subject, there 
the Jatfrey family, whose ships went all over 
the world. Then there ^s the river, and the bay, 
and Hell Gate, and the War of 1812 , and that 
wonderful old house that’s the museum—don’t 
you believe there must he some plays about 
those things?” 

Her listeners were electrified by this new 
idea, but none more so than Virginia, who 

jumped up, and waving her arms up and down 
cried: ^ 

‘'What a grand idea! And listen, girls! 
Make Evelyn write the play! We don’t want a 
stale old thing from the library. She can write 
something much better, that will be new!” 

“Why, Evelyn,” cried Priscilla, as all the 
girls staled in admiration at the astounded 
authoress, “can you really write a play? Hon¬ 
estly?” 

Evelyn was so bewildered that she could not 
answer. Never yet had she mentioned to a 
single one of the girls her fondness for writing. 
How had little Virginia, the most heedless of 





THE LINGER-NOTS MEET 


47 


them all, ever discovered it? And then the rea¬ 
son dawned on her. 

‘‘Oh, Joyce!’’ she cried, blushing as red as 
a beet, “did you show anyone something I 

wrote? How could you?” 

“Why, I showed Jinny and Mousey Alicia's 
Sword/' said Joyce, with innocent pride, “be¬ 
cause you left it open on your desk the day they 
were over at the house, and you always let me 
read your things, and they thought it was 
splendid! Didn’t you, girls?” 

“Perfectly wonderful!” proclaimed Virginia, 
and Muriel, breaking her customary silence, 
murmured: 

“It was simply great. Do write our play, 
Evelyn! ” 

“Well, why don’t you, for pity’s sake, if you 
can?” demanded Dorothy. ‘Hf I had brains 
enough, I would, but I couldn’t advise the club 
to wait for that! ’ ’ 

“Could you really write it about the Jatfrey 
House? I wish you would!” said Eose. 

“You must!” declared Aline. “So that s 

settled. ’ ’ 

“If Evelyn could write a special play for our 
club, I think it would be perfectly splendid!” 
said Priscilla with enthusiasm. “And I’m not 
a bit surprised to hear you write stories and 
things, Evelyn, because you always write such 


48 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


good compositions. Miss Langdon reads them 
all the time.’’ 

Maybe she’d help me with the play,” said 
Evelyn. ‘‘I never wrote anything for so many 
people before.” 

‘‘Let’s ask her to meet with us some time 
soon, and give us some hints,” suggested 
Helena, making a good point as usual. “A play 
like that will be something new, and will give 
everybody a good part. ’ ’ 

As Priscilla had predicted, all the girls had 
united on a new idea. 

Helena’s last remark made Evelyn think of 
Dorothy’s comment on Helena’s feeling about 
her part in the tableaux, for the rehearsal of 
which the girls now began to make ready. Some 
of them cleared a space on the floor beside the 
piano, and some went upstairs to Dorothy’s 
room to get the costumes. Evelyn and Joyce, 
who were of course not in the performance as 
they had just joined the Linger-Nots, were re¬ 
quested to act as audience and critics, and as¬ 
signed to seats on the sofa. 

“Joyce,” whispered Evelyn, “why did you 
tell about my plays? I was so embarrassed.” 

“You got over it,” answered the philosophic 
Joyce. “I knew you would. I told because I 
wanted the girls to know. They ought to— 
and didn’t they like it? Don’t you see, Evelyn, 
you have the brains, but I have the sense! 




THE LINGER-NOTS MEET 


49 


Anyway, it was Virginia who really told, and 
she wanted the girls to know, too, because she 
likes you so much. She says you ’re always nice 
to her, even if she is a kid. Aline and Helena 
do pick on her the whole time, you know. ’ ’ 

The subject of the conversation now pranced 
in, with her hat on her head, a pile of books in 
a strap swinging from one hand, and a lunch¬ 
eon-basket on her arm. 

‘‘Here’s the School Belle,” she announced. 
“Orchestra, please!” 

Priscilla rushed to the piano, and Helena, 
standing near by, began to sing “School-Days” 
as Priscilla played the accompaniment, and 
Virginia posed in the space that had been 
cleared. 

Helena certainly had a voice that was “fit 
to be heard,” as Dorothy had so modestly ex¬ 
pressed it, for it was clear, sweet, and of wide 
range, and she sang easily and with an evident 
happiness in doing so which Evelyn had never 
before seen in the girl’s rather mocking face. 
The “audience” applauded generously at the 
end of the tableau, and all three performers 
looked much gratified. 

Dorothy appeared next as the “Dinner 
Belle,” in a large apron borrowed from the 
cook, and carrying a monster dinner-bell such 
as is rarely seen since the advent of gongs. 
Helena sang a merry verse for her, and another 




50 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


for Muriel, who was the ‘^Cow Belle,” in a 
striking Wild Western costume adapted from a 
khaki skirt trimmed with fringe, a campaign 
hat, gauntlets, a riding-whip, and realistic lasso 
made out of the Ives family clothes-line. 

Priscilla and Helena now vanished, and 
Aline took their places, and gave two recita¬ 
tions which accompanied the next two Belles. 
Priscilla, in a white apron and coif with red 
crosses, could he nothing but an ‘^Ambulance 
Belle,” while Dorothy, appearing again, in her 
college brother’s tortoise-shell spectacles, long 
overcoat, and derby hat on her bobbed locks, 
with an immense bouquet in one hand and a 
candy-box in the other, was a ^^Door-Bell” 
which would have announced a caller welcome 
anywhere. Her gentlemanly etforts won hearty 
applause. 

Then Priscilla came back, and played soft 
music for the last group of the Belles. Helena 
appeared, decked in furs sprinkled with paper 
snow-flakes, and the tinkling of the piano under 
Priscilla’s skillful fingers assured the listeners 
that this was none other than the Sleigh 
Belle.” Aline was the ‘‘Church Belle,” and 
her soft blue and white draperies were arranged 
to resemble those of a stained-glass figure. The 
climax came when Rose appeared as the “Wed¬ 
ding Belle,” in a white bridal costume and long 




THE LINGER-NOTS MEET 


51 


veil, which her tall figure and dark beauty 
showed off to great effect. 

‘‘The veil is a window-curtain, really,’’ con¬ 
fided Virginia, who had been watching the 
tableaux from the sofa beside Joyce, on the con¬ 
clusion of her own performance. “Isn’t Rose 
sweet! I’m glad Helena didn’t get that part, 
even if she did think of having ‘Eight Bells,’ 
because her sister took part in a show like it 
once. She’s too fat to be a bride. She wanted 
the ‘Wedding Belle’ because her hair is yellow, 
and some of the girls did agree with her that 
the bride ought to be fair, but they aU voted 
for Rose!” 

“She sings beautifully,” said Evelyn gener¬ 
ously, “and she has fine ideas.” 

“Oh, yes,” admitted Virginia, “if she only 
could be nice to people, she reaUy would be— 
nice, you know.” 

“Now, girls,” cried Dorothy, bustling in once 
more, this time in the role of hostess, with a 
large bowl of red apples, “let’s have something 
to eat and then let’s go out in the garden.” 

Out they promptly went. Straiton Court 
garden was a delightful place even in late fall, 
with its tall cypress trees, leafless brown bushes 
with tiny red berries, and wide walks winding 
through the fading grass. It was so cold that 
Dorothy soon started a game of tag, gave them 
all a terrific chase, and before long ran down 




52 LTNGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


Helena, who, as Virginia had hinted, was rather 
plump, and did not get over the ground very 
speedily. 

Eose and Evelyn stopped, breathless, beside 
one of the cypresses. 

‘‘Have you had a good time?” gasped Eose. 

“Glorious!” answered Evelyn, choking. 

“I think we ^re going to do wonderful things. ” 

“Splendid!” 

A swift hand descended suddenly on Evelyn’s 
shoulder. Helena had stolen up behind her 
unaware. 

“Tag! You’re it!” cried Helena trium¬ 
phantly. ‘ ‘ Catch me! ’ ’ 

“That’s easy!” cried Evelyn, turning on 
her. But it wasn’t. 

Helena laughed, dodged behind a bench, and 
escaped. She was good at dodging. 




CHAPTER V 


HELENA MAKES AN IMPRESSION 

T he Thanksgiving holidays brought a 
short halt in the Linger-Nots’ numerous 
activities. Indeed, Evelyn had not seen 
any of the girls for two or three days. Priscilla 
and Dorothy had gone out of town on visits, 
Rose was spending most of her time helping 
her father make a card catalogue of a new 
room in the museum which was soon to be 
opened, and the other girls had been busy with 
their mothers doing necessary shopping and 
dressmaking. 

‘‘This will be a good chance to go over to 
the library and look over some of this list of 
books that Miss Langdon suggested might give 
us ideas for the play,’’ thought Evelyn, the 
last afternoon of the holidays. “I’ll look at a 
lot of them, and bring the best ones home to 
read carefully.” 

At once she put on her long blue serge coat 
trimmed with beaver, and her beaver cap, found 
her library ticket, and set forth. 

53 



54 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


The library was only three streets south of 
her home. It was a fine four-story building of 
gray stone, with a large collection of books, 
various reading-rooms, and a whole floor, the 
second, given up entirely to young folks. The 
librarian in charge of the second floor knew 
Evelyn, and, indeed, all the members of the 
club, very well, for all the girls drew books and 
frequently met one another in the big, pleasant 
room. 

‘^YouTl be all alone this afternoon,’’ she 
said with the merry glance that always twinkled 
behind her big tortoise-shell rimmed glasses. 
‘‘I haven’t seen one of the Linger-Nots this 
whole vacation. ’ ’ 

‘‘Oh, I haven’t time to talk to them just 
now,” replied Evelyn importantly. “You see, 
Miss Phillips, we’re going to give a play, and 
they want me to write it, and I have to read all 
the books on this list to find things to put in. 
Of course, I’m going to make up the story, but 
it must be about something that happened in 
our neighborhood—a historical story, you 
know. I thought I would see if I could write 
something about Esther Jaffrey. Do you know 
who she was?” 

“You mean the girl who lived in the old 
Jaffrey House?” asked Miss Phillips. “I 
think that’s a fine idea, Evelyn, to write a play 
about another girl just your own age who lived 




HELENA MAKES AN IMPRESSION 5S 


a hundred years ago where you do now. X 
never heard of anyone doing that before/’ 

‘‘I shall write it about her when she was a 
little older than we are. I think it is more 
interesting to be older,” declared Evelyn. 

^‘Perhaps it is,” admitted Miss Phillips po¬ 
litely, with a smile. ^‘Can I help you find 
those books on your list? Oh, I see! These 
are all together on the third shelf in the Young 
People’s reference room. They seem to be 
about life during the War of 1812 , don’t they? 
Most people don’t know much about that time, 
Evelyn, so I think perhaps you can write a 
very interesting play. I’d like to help you any 
wav I can.” 

The reference room took up one end of the 
second floor, and was lined with open shelves 
full of books of information on every conceiv¬ 
able subject. Evelyn piled the contents of the 
third shelf at one end of the long table sur¬ 
rounded with comfortable chairs, and orna¬ 
mented with a bowl of little rust-colored chrys¬ 
anthemums, and sat down to read about the 
days of Esther Jaffrey. 

There was no one else in the room, and 
Evelyn spent a pleasant hour reading how the* 
Broadway of Esther’s time was lighted with 
whale oil and the houses were heated with woodv 
although the ladies of fashion wore Paris 
gowns to the many dinners that were given 




56 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


constantly to the famous naval heroes of the 
war. It amused Evelyn particularly to read 
how some of these ladies, not being considered 
quite exclusive enough to he admitted as mem¬ 
bers to the fashionable dancing club, which 
cost two dollars and a half an evening, formed 
a club themselves, for which tickets cost three 
dollars! It was so like some girls at school, 
who had been refused invitations to their older 
sisters ’ dance, and had thereupon got up one of 
their own with twice as many refreshments, 
that Evelyn burst out laughing, not knowing 
that she was no longer alone. 

‘^What^s the joke?’’ inquired a familiar 
voice. 

‘‘Why, hello, Helena!” said Evelyn, looking 
up in surprise. “I thought you were staying 
at your aunt’s house for the holidays.” 

“I got back this morning, and had nothing to 
read, so I came here for a book. I didn’t see 
you, until I heard you laugh and turned around. 
What are you doing?” 

“Reading up things for the play, or, rather, 
trying to, for I haven’t found much yet. How¬ 
ever, I have most of the story in my head al¬ 
ready, from seeing the house. Miss Langdon 
thought we’d better act something that likely 
happened there, rather than try to make it 
absolutely historic. Of course we can have the 
costumes just the way they were.” 




HELENA MAKES AN IMPRESSION 57 


see/’ said Helena, nodding approvingly. 
‘‘That’s a clever idea. What I don’t see, 
though, is how you ever thought of any story 
from seeing that house. Of course there are 
old houses that make you think of stories, but 
I don’t think the Jalfrey House is one of them. 
It ought to be white, and have pillars in front of 
it, don’t you know. Why, that house wasn’t 
built till long after the Revolution, and it’s so 
plain and square—all full of angles, with that 
enormous heavy roof! It never could have had 
secret passages to the river, where patriots 
smuggled arms, or family feuds, or duels, or 
spies, ’ ’ concluded Helena, with a flight of imag¬ 
ination which rather confused her sentence. 
“It’s just a house where people lived.” 

“That’s all I thought it was,” rejoined Eve¬ 
lyn humbly. “The play is only going to be 
about people who lived there. Honestly, I 
never thought of a single duel or feud, Helena, 
Do you think we ought to have some?” 

“Bless your heart, no, child!” said Helena 
with the tone of voice in which she frequently 
addressed Virginia, as she sank down into one 
of the chairs at the table and unfastened the 
black fox collar that set off her fair skin so 
effectively. She wore a black velvet hat on 
her golden hair, and Evelyn was much fasci¬ 
nated by her appearance as she leaned forward 
over the table. 





58 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


‘‘Yon write that play just the way you think 
it ought to be, Evelyn,’’ continued Helena. 
“I’m sure it will be good. It’s funny, though, 
that you should have had such a good chance 
to see the JafPrey House and everything in it, 
because, before you came. Rose Willing never 
made advances to any of the girls.” 

“No, she seems rather lonely,” answered 
Evelyn, innocently falling into Helena’s trap. 

“Well, of course,” said Helena, looking 
pleased at a chance to talk to an audience, “I 
suppose perhaps she is, but I don’t see just 
how it can be otherwise, do you?” 

Evelyn blinked quite uncomprehendingly at 
Helena, and that maiden, even more pleased 
than before, continued: 

“Don’t you know what I mean?” 

“No.” 

“Did you see Rose’s father the day you were 
over at the museum?” 

“Yes, I met him, and her mother, too.” 

“Mrs. Willing is charming,” pronounced 
Helena, with the air of a judge of charm, “and 
as for Mr. Willing”- 

“Isn’t he lovely?” cried Evelyn. “He’s so 
fond of Rose.” 

“Did you notice anything queer about him?” 

“Why, no,” answered Evelyn, stitfening a 
little, as for the first time Helena’s manner 
jarred on her. Criticizing people’s parents 






HELENA MAKES AN IMPRESSION 59 


seemed hardly the thing. ^‘No, Mr. Willing 
was just as nice as he could be, and so inter¬ 
esting ! Oh, perhaps you mean he seems a little 
absent-minded. I guess lots of very learned 
people are.’’ 

^‘Ah-h-h-h! Then you did notice it I You 
see, the question is, is he really absent- 
minded ? ’ ’ 

Evehm began to be less fascinated by Hele¬ 
na’s appearance, and to wish that she would go 
away if she intended to talk nonsense. Possibly 
this thought appeared in her expression, for 
Helena, determined not to be cheated out of 
making a sensation, continued promptly: 

‘‘It’s just as you say, Evelyn, Mr. Willing 
is very learned. He’s studied American his¬ 
tory and antiques all his life, and made his 
business taking care of them. Perhaps you 
know that one of his special interests is our 
early naval gunnery, in which Americans made 
so many inventions.” 

“Isn’t that wonderful?” 

“Yes, he’s written a book about it. He trav¬ 
eled all up and down the Atlantic States, and 
went to libraries in all the cities, looking at old 
documents. And now his book is the only au¬ 
thority there is on some of the inventions, for” 
—Helena sank her voice to a whisper—“some 
of the documents have been lost! ’ ’ 

“Well, he couldn’t help that, I suppose.” 




60 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


Helena looked annoyed by this sensible 
theory. 

‘‘The funny thing about it is that they were 
the documents about the shipyards in New 
-York harbor where the biggest vessels of the 
fleet were fitted out in the War of 1812 . Of 
course they are of no military use whatever, 
but they^re very valuable to antiquarians,” 
said Helena, getting off the word speedily and 
with the accent quite on the right syllable. 
“They’re worth a lot of money, and nobody 
knows where they are. They used to be kept 
in the State Library.” 

“That’s too bad, but so long as they have 
his book, people know about the shipyards, I 
suppose,” said Evelyn, who was getting a little 
bored and longed to return to her whale oil and 
dancing-clubs. 

“You know there was a big fire in the State 
Library a few years ago?” persisted Helena. 

“No, was there?” 

“Yes. It took place the day that Mr. Willing 
was there taking notes on those documents,” 
concluded Helena. “Lots of people noticed 
that.” 

“Helena Hawthorne! Do you mean to say 
that he set the State Library on fire and then 
stole the documents and sold them? I never 
heard of anything so silly and disgusting!” 
cried Evelyn in furious indignation. 




HELENA MAKES AN IMPRESSION 61 


‘‘Oh, my dear! I never, never said such a 
thing I How hasty you are 1 ’ ’ protested Helena, 
not a little astonished to see that the quiet 
Evelyn could get really roused. 

“Then what do you meanT’ 

“Nothing, absolutely, except that it is the 
disappearance of those documents that makes 
the mystery about Rose and her family. I^m 
surprised you never heard of it, for it’s really 
no secret. Mr. Willing has gone on with his 
work, and most societies are crazy to have him 
work for them, though no one has ever discov¬ 
ered what became of those papers after the 
alarm sounded for the fire. He thinks he re¬ 
turned them to the desk, but he can’t remem¬ 
ber. ’ ’ 

“And why not? Because he’s so absent- 
minded, of course,” said Evelyn, rather scorn¬ 
fully. “Why, when I met him, he spoke to me 
and then instantly forgot I was in the room! 
But how awfully hard for Rose to feel that 
there is any kind of cloud on her father’s repu¬ 
tation! No wonder she tries to help him all 
she can.” 

‘ ‘ Oh, Rose! ’ ’ said Helena disdainfully. ‘ ‘ I 
guess she’ll get along all right. She always 
manages to, somehow. As for helping him, 
she likes to. You know she’s just crazy about 
collecting and arranging and studying antiques. 
What she wants to do is to go to college so 




62 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


that she can specialize in American history so 
she can fit herself to be a professional anti¬ 
quarian. Did you ever hear of a girl wanting 
to do such a queer thing?’’ 

‘^Do you think she will go to college?” 

‘‘Oh, I don’t know. Of course the Willings 
haven’t any money, but Bose always seems to 
get what she wants,” replied Helena discon¬ 
tentedly. “It wouldn’t be so bad if she wanted 
anything sensible, but to want to mess with 
dusty old letters and books and teaspoons that 
Washington ate rice-pudding with! I don’t 
understand it at all!” 

“What do you want to be, Helena?” asked 
Evelyn with some curiosity. 

“I want to be a singer,” replied the other 
girl promptly, losing her discontented and 
sneering expression. “I don’t know if I can 
be,” she added humbly, “but I shall do every¬ 
thing I can to try, at least.” 

“I hope you can,” said Evelyn sympathet¬ 
ically, for while she had not enjoyed most of 
Helena’s conversation, there was something 
rather pathetic about the girl in spite of her 
furs and velvet and airs, and she seemed per¬ 
fectly sincere about her music. 

Helena smiled appreciatively, and rose. 

“Well, I must run home. Mother will be 
back soon, and she always likes me to be there 
when she comes in. I hope you don’t think 






HELENA MAKES AN IMPRESSION 63 


badly of me for what I told you, Evelyn. I 
really thought you knew about the Willings, 
and if I hadn’t mentioned it, someone would 
have, sooner or later. ’ ’ 

Evelyn hesitated before replying. 

‘‘It’s all right as long as it isn’t a secret,” 
3he answered finally, “and it makes me gladder 
than ever to be a friend of Rose’s because I’m 
sure she needs friends, and perhaps I can do 
something for her.” 

“She seems quite self-sufficient,” said 
Helena. “The only thing I ever saw her take 
much interest in is this play of yours, and that’s 
because it’s about her house, I suppose.” 

“Oh, I think all the girls will be interested 
in that,” said Evelyn. “I’ve made up a splen¬ 
did part for each one. Yours will be very 
important, Helena!” 

“Oh, tell me-” 

“No, not till we read it in the meeting.” 

“All right then, I must go. By-by!” said 
Helena, and went off with a smile that was 
quite happy for her. 

Evelyn, however, was by no means so happy 
as she had been when she started on her work 
in the library. So, with the help of Miss Phil¬ 
lips, she quickly chose two of the best books 
to take home with her and hurried back to the 
little red house on the parkway. She would 
feel better, she was sure, if she could share the 






64 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


strange story she had heard with a wiser brain 
than her own. 

She found her mother in the Rving-room, sit¬ 
ting by the window and looking out on the bare 
trees of the park and the rough gray river of 
November. Mrs. Barry, always ready to listen 
interestedly to all that her children had to tell 
her, heard Evelyn’s recital of Helena’s tale 
with close attention. 

‘‘Did you ever hear anything so awful, 
mother?” demanded Evelyn, as she finished. 
“And yet, somehow or other, I was sorry for 
Helena, though I’m sure she knows better than 
to talk so about Rose. But she upset me. I 
don’t want to work on the play any more.” 

“I wouldn’t be upset by a silly story, Eve¬ 
lyn. She told you nothing but that the Willings 
have some difficulty, which you knew before. It 
doesn’t interfere with your friendship for Rose, 
does it?” 

“Oh, no, and I’m sure all the other girls 
feel the same way. But Helena needn’t be so 
jealous. She knows better.” 

“My dear child, of course she does, but at 
the same time I am glad you followed your 
instinct and treated her in a friendly way. 
When people act as badly as you say Helena 
frequently does, and are disagreeable and 
jealous, there is nearly always something spe- 




HELENA MAKES AN IMPRESSION 65 


cial the matter with them, as there is with 
Helena. ’ ’ 

*‘Why, what!’’ 

very common thing, which you haven’t 
happened to meet before. She is extremely 
gifted, as you know, but so far she has no 
means of satisfying her tastes. You know her 
father is dead. Her mother teaches math¬ 
ematics in one of the high schools, and they 
have not much money, so that is why they rent 
the top floor of the Gaines ’ big house, and have 
no real home of their own. I have met Mrs. 
Hawthorne at the Women’s Block Association 
meetings, and she is very nice indeed, but it is 
easy to see that she is not satisfied that Helena 
has to spend so much of her time with her aunt 
and cousins. The cousins are much older than 
Helena, and she copies their ideas, which I 
understand are not always very desirable.” 

‘‘That’s probably why she’s so grown-up, 
and wears such fancy clothes.” 

“Yes, and also very likely why she was so 
anxious to make an impression on you with a 
wonderful story that was new to you. You 
will always find people everywhere that try to 
do that, though they are never so important as 
they would like you to think. However, I think 
there was also another reason why she wanted 
to impress you, Evelyn.” 

“I wondered why she took so much trouble,” 




66 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


said Evelyn. Perhaps she wanted me to 
like her.’’ 

think that was the reason,” said Mrs. 
Barry, smiling, ‘‘and I would be friendly with 
her, even if I didn’t like her very much. You 
needn’t be intimate, of course—just friendly.” 

“Well, I will be if I ought to,” promised 
Evelyn dolefully. 

“That is my own heroic daughter!” cried 
her mother, and Evelyn joined her in a hearty 
laugh at her own “heroism”! 






CHAPTER VI 


A MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE 

OME home promptly after the sing¬ 



ing, girls, said Mrs. Barry, coming 


out of the living-room as Joyce and 


Evelyn came downstairs toward the front door, 
‘‘and there will be a nice hot supper waiting for 


you. ’ ^ 


“I^m sorry we’re going to leave you all 
alone, mother,” said Evelyn, “but we’ll not 
be late. It’s too bad father’s in Washington 
and Dick’s at the basket-ball match and we two 
are going down to the tree, all in one evening. ’ ’ 
“Never mind, you won’t be late. Joyce, 
fasten up your coat, and be sure not to take 
cold. You look tired still, after that party yes¬ 
terday. Good-by, dears. Enjoy yourselves.” 

The girls kissed their mother good-by and 
ran down the stoop to take the car to the sub¬ 
way station where they were to meet Miss 
Langdon and some other teachers, who were 
taking the Clifton girls to sing Christmas carols 
that Christmas Eve around the great Com¬ 


er 


68 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


munity Tree in a downtown park. Every eve¬ 
ning that holiday week, some of the city’s young 
people were to entertain at the city’s tree. The 
Clifton girls were invited to perform first, on 
Christmas Eve, because their .school chorus 
was known as one of the best in the city, and 
on other evenings there were to be pageants, 
dancing, and music by various young folks’ 
organizations. 

It was a gala occasion, for which the girls 
had been practicing early and late ever since 
Thanksgiving. The stars were already twin¬ 
kling in the sky as Evelyn and Joyce set out, 
though it was only five o’clock. Evelyn felt 
sorry Joyce seemed so tired and quiet, for the 
program was to begin at half-past five and last 
until six, and then there was the whole distance 
home to be traversed again. Evidently the 
previous day’s party, which Joyce had attended 
with Virginia at the home of one of the younger 
girls in the neighborhood, had been unusually 
lively. 

As Joyce evidently preferred her thoughts 
to conversation, Evelyn let her alone and 
talked with Aline and Priscilla all the way 
downtown, while Joyce sat on the other side 
of the train with Virginia. 

‘‘I hope somebody gives that child a new 
hat for Christmas,” remarked Aline, critically 
observing her younger sister. ‘'Ever since she 




A MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE 


69 


lost that one overboard—^you remember the 
day we went on the excursion?—she will wear 
that frightful old tam-o’-shanter. Helena says 
it looks as if it came out of the Ark. ’ ’ 

‘^Helena has so many clothes I suppose she 
thinks she can criticize everyone else’s,” said 
Priscilla. ‘‘I don’t see anything the matter 
with that tarn except that Jinny has put it on so 
that it sticks out too much in the back. She’s 
only a kid—^why not let her wear what she 
likes ? ’ ’ 

^H’ll tell her to flatten it down when we get 
out,” said Aline. But she had no opportunity 
to do so, for a great crowd was swarming into 
the station, and the girls had to struggle up 
the steps to the street as best they could. 

When they reached the little downtown park 
surrounded by skyscrapers, great crowds of 
workers from the offices nearby were pouring 
into the street, and making their way to the 
north side of the square, where the enormous 
city Christmas-tree, brought down from the 
Adirondacks, had been ‘‘planted.” It was 
draped with long chains of colored electric 
bulbs, which glittered faintly in the light of the 
street lamps, and at the top a big white star 
crowned the tree. 

“This way, girls,” said Miss Langdon, indi¬ 
cating a grandstand for the entertainers that 




70 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


had been lavishly decorated with pine-branches 
and long green garlands. 

Up the steps the Clifton girls climbed, and 
took their places just behind a group of trum¬ 
peters that were to lead the singing. The clock 
on a tall tower nearby struck half-past five, 
and, at that signal, the first lights of the tree 
blazed out on the low branches that trailed the 
ground. The trumpets sounded, and the beau¬ 
tiful chorus of girlish voices broke into ^^This 
Tree was grown on Christmas Dayl^’ 

As they sang, the red, green, and yellow 
lights spread up the tree, and finally the star 
blazed out in full glory. It was a splendid 
sight, and all the girls felt a great thrill as they 
sang, caused both by the beauty of the scenes 
and by the feeling that their music contributed 
so much to that brilliant Christmas Eve in the 
big city. 

The crowd was liberal with applause, and 
the girls sang one carol after another with in¬ 
creasing spirit until the clock struck six, and 
it was time to leave. 

‘'Oh, I don't want to go!" said Evelyn. 
“This has been a perfectly gorgeous Christmas 
Eve. I never had such a good time." 

“Yes, it's been much more Christmas-y than 
getting presents," agreed Priscilla. “But 
everybody's going, so we must. Anyway, it 
really is getting cold.'' 




A MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE 71 


A sharp wind was beginning to rise, so the 
girls trudged briskly back to the subway in the 
rear of the Clifton procession. As Evelyn did 
not see Joyce at the uptown station where she 
abgbted, she supposed her gone on ahead, and 
made haste to reach the warm, cosy house, 
where she quickly slipped off her things and 
ran downstairs to the dining-room. No one 
was there but her mother. 

‘‘Where’s Joyce? Didn’t she come home 
with you?” asked Mrs. Barry. 

“No, she was with Virginia all the time. I 
suppose they came hack with Aline and Helena. 
I was with Priscilla, and thought Joyce would 
get home first. She was ahead of us.” 

“Well, if she was with the others, she prob¬ 
ably will be here right away, ’ ’ said Mrs. Barry. 
“Sit down, Evelyn, for you must be hungry.” 

Evelyn was very hungry, and the scalloped 
oysters smelled very good. She had eaten quite 
a quantity of them, and had told her mother all 
about the tree and the carols, and was begin¬ 
ning on some apple-sauce and hot gingerbread, 
when she noticed that her mother was paying 
small attention to her. 

“I wonder where Joyce can be,” said Mrs. 
Barry. “You’ve been in nearly half an hour, 
and it is much too dark and late for her to be 
out, even with the others. ’ ’ 

Evelyn finished eating quickly, and then she 





72 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


and her mother went to the sitting-room. Eve¬ 
lyn tried to read a book, and her mother glanced 
at the newspaper, but Evelyn could see that 
she glanced almost as often at the clock. Five 
minutes, ten minutes, went by, then a quarter 
of an hour. Then the clock struck eight. 

am going to call up Mrs. Gaines,’’ said 
Mrs. Barry, laying down the paper, ‘‘and ask 
her if-” 

A loud ring at the doorbell interrupted here. 
Evelyn answered it, and in walked Aline. 

“Is that kid sister of mine here, Evelyn!” 
she demanded cheerfully. “I thought I’d better 
look her up.” 

‘ ‘ Aline! Isn’t Joyce with Virginia ? ’ ’ gasped 
Evelyn, and Mrs. Barry stepped into the hall 
with a very anxious face. 

“ No! ” said Aline, looking frightened. ‘ ‘ The 
last I saw of them was when they rushed ahead 
of Rose and Miss Langdon, who were in front 
as we came back after the singing, and called 
out that they would beat us all to the station.” 

“This is dreadful!” cried Mrs. Barry. “I 
think, Aline, I had better telephone your father 
at once.” 

“He and mother are out at dinner,” said 
Aline blankly. “That’s why I came over.” 

“Mother,” said Evelyn, as the three stood 
gazing at one another in growing alarm, “shall 
I telephone to Rose, if she was the last person 





A MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE 


73 


who saw them, and see if she knows anything 
more?’^ 

‘‘Very well, it can do no harm. Be quick, 
dear. ’ ^ 

Evelyn flew to the telephone on the table. 

“Hello! Eose? This is Evelyn. Rose, 
something must be the matter. Joyce hasn’t 
got home yet, and neither has Virginia. Aline 
is here. Did you see them after we left the 
tree? . . . Yes, that’s what Aline says. . . . 
Oh, did you? . . . She did? . . . All right, I’ll 
wait. . . . Hello! . . . But he’s out of town, 
and Dick’s not home. . . . Mr. Gaines is out 
at dinner. . . . Oh, will you? Thank you so 
much. Rose. Mother is dreadfully worried! 
Good-by. 

“Rose says that when Virginia and Joyce 
passed her,” explained Evelyn to the two anx¬ 
ious listeners, “Virginia was saying: ‘Let’s 
get some hot chocolate at Glassdoria. ’ ’ ’ 

“That’s what that silly child will call those 
restaurants where you put a nickel in the slot 
to get food out of those glass cases in the 
wall!” cried Aline. 

“Well, Miss Langdon told her not to, as we 
were to go right home. So she and Joyce went 
on into the crowd, and of course Rose thought 
they were with us in the subway. She told her 
father about it—that was why I stopped and 




74 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


waited—and he is coming right over to see you, 
mother. ’ ’ 

‘^He is very kind,’^ said Mrs. Barry, some¬ 
what relieved. really do not know what to 
do first. 

In less than five minutes Mr. Willing ap¬ 
peared, and with him came Rose. Nobody 
could have looked less absent-minded than the 
curator. He was as alert as though all his 
attention were required to mend the yard-arm 
of a ship-model! 

‘‘My daughter tells me, Mrs. Barry,he 
began, “that Miss Virginia has a great fond¬ 
ness for these automatic restaurants. Don^t 
you think they may have decided to go and get 
some chocolate even after they were told not 
tor’ 

“Possibly,” answered Mrs. Barry, “but 
even if they did, they should be home by this 
time. ’ ’ 

“Perhaps they decided to stay for supper,” 
said Mr. Willing, with a slight smile which 
somehow was reassuring. “It’s Christmas 
Eve, you know, and they are probably much 
excited and like the independence of being 
downtown alone, and have forgotten all about 
such things as clocks. ’ ’ 

“I believe that’s what they may have done,” 
said Aline. “ That crazy Jinny! She is simply 
a maniac about those restaurants. You’d think 




A MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE 


75 


she was five years old. She very seldom goes 
downtown, but when she does, she always makes 
mother take her to one of those places for 
luncheon, though mother hates them.’’ 

‘‘I propose visiting Glassdoria before we do 
anything else,” suggested Mr. Willing. ‘‘As 
I am the only gentleman available. I’ll be glad 
to go down there, if you like, Mrs. Barry, and 
Rose will go with me to identify the two young 
ladies, whom I do not know.” 

“I’ll go too,” said Aline. 

“I think Virginia will probably be glad to 
see you,” said Mr. Willing, “and if Evelyn 
wants to come, we’d be glad to have her.” 

‘^‘Yes, go, Evelyn,” said Mrs. Barry, “and 
bring Joyce back, since Mr. Willing seems sure 
you will find them. At any rate, it won’t take 
long to find out. I only hope they haven’t run 
away I” 

“It’s only half-past eight, so they can’t have 
run far,” said Mr. Willing. “Don’t worry more 
than you can help, Mrs. Barry. I have known 
the best of girls to absent herself from home 
temporarily—when she was vexed at some¬ 
thing ! ’ ’ 

He and Rose smiled at each other. 

“We’ll telephone you in half an hour,” he 
promised Mrs. Barry as the party left the 
house. 

For the second time that evening, Evelyn 




76 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


found herself bound for the little park down¬ 
town, this time with a heart as anxious as it 
had been light before. Christmas Eve seemed 
to have vanished with Joyce’s disappearance. 
Where had she gone? And why had she been 
so downcast early in the evening? And what 
was the matter with Aline, who looked almost 
ready to cry in spite of Mr. Willing’s encour¬ 
aging words? Evelyn looked at him with real 
gratitude. What would they have done with¬ 
out him? 

Poor Virginia’s favorite restaurant was situ¬ 
ated almost directly across the street from the 
great Christmas tree, which was still lighted, 
but to Evelyn’s eyes had lost much of its 
brightness. Into the white-tiled, white-painted 
room, Mr. Willing cheerfully led his search- 
party. A few late Christmas shoppers were 
refreshing themselves here and there, but no 
Virginia nor Joyce appeared. The room turned 
a right angle in the back, and extended all the 
way to the side street. Through this angle the 
party slowly progressed, scanning the occu¬ 
pants of each table carefully. 

“I see them!” cried Rose. ‘‘There they are 
at the end table!” 

And there they were! Evelyn had thought 
they would be frightened, or defiant, or 
ashamed. But they were none of these, only 




A MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE 


77 


imfeignedly glad to see someone they knew, as 
Mr. Willing had predicted. 

‘‘‘Joyce, why didn’t you come home?” said 
Evelyn reproachfully. 

“Don’t scold her, it’s my fault,” said Vir¬ 
ginia, before Joyce could answer. 

“Oh, we’re not scolding anybody to-night, 
it’s Christmas Eve,” announced Mr. Willing 
cheerfully. “Rose, I see there’s a telephone 
in the front there, so suppose you telephone 
Mrs. Barry that the lost are found. Then, 
before we go home, let’s all have some ice¬ 
cream ! ’ ’ 

Any stiffness that might have existed be¬ 
tween the wanderers and the searchers was 
melted by this popular proposal, and in two 
or three minutes, the end table was surrounded 
by a very pleasant party. 

“I do think you ought to tell us what you’ve 
been doing down here. Jinny,” said Aline. 
“You frightened us nearly to death.” 

Virginia looked rather pleased, and laid down 
her spoon. 

“All right. I’ll tell you all about it,” she 
said. “I decided to run away.” 

“And you, too, Joyce?” asked Evelyn. 

“No, she told me, and I was trying to keep 
her from doing it,” said Joyce. 

“Listen!” said Virginia. “Do you remem¬ 
ber the day we went on the excursion, and saw 




78 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


the two little girls coming out of the movie 
studio f ’ ’ 

‘‘Little girls!’’ cried Aline. “They were 
forty years old apiece! They were just fixed 
to look young.” 

“Well, I do look young,” said Virginia, 
calmly, “so I don’t have to get fixed. So I 
decided that to-morrow I would go over there 
and see if I could act in the movies.” 

“Where were you going to stay all night I” 

“At Aunt Fanny’s. She would let me.” 

“But, Virginia dear, to-morrow is Christ¬ 
mas,” said Rose, “and the studio would be 
closed up.” 

Virginia’s face fell. 

“I never thought of that!” she admitted. 

“Well, why did you want to run away?” de¬ 
manded Aline. “I don’t think it’s a bit nice 
of you to think of such things, when you have 
a good home!” 

Virginia’s eyes, for the first time, began to 
look watery. She did not answer. 

“I don’t think she has such a good home!” 
blazed Joyce, suddenly, to the intense astonish¬ 
ment of everybody. “You and Helena bother 
her all the time! Helena said yesterday before 
the party that her hair looked like a rat-tail! 
That’s why she wanted to run away!” 

“Well, it doesn’t look like one any more. 




A MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE 


79 


anyway!’’ cried Virginia, and snatched off the 
despised tam-o’-shanter. “There!” 

“What on earth have you done to it?” gasped 
Aline. 

“I took my Christmas money and went down¬ 
town this morning and had it permanently 
waved, ’ ’ explained Virginia, her self-confidence 
returning as she shook a wonderful array of 
ringlets and waves that supplied an explanation 
of why her tam-o’-shanter had bulged early in 
the evening. “Doesn’t it look lovely? And 
it’ll he just like this six months!” 

Her pleasure was evidently so great that any 
criticism was silenced. There might have been 
a good deal, for the change from the pig-tail 
to the flowing curls was quite startling, and 
the curls were still almost hot. 

Mr. Willing was the first to say anything. 

“Those would be a great help in the movies,” 
he said, “but don’t you think the folks at home 
would like to see them too?” 

“Yes. I want to show them to Helena,” 
said Virginia. 

The little party filed over to the station once 
more in a very happy frame of mind. Mr. 
Willing walked with Virginia and Aline, and 
told them entertaining stories. Joyce walked 
between Rose and Evelyn, and to the latter, as 
she passed the great Christmas-tree, it seemed 




80 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


as if the lights and the star burned brighter 
than ever before. 

‘^How nice your father is, Rose!’’ sighed 
Joyce. ‘‘I was so glad to see him! I didn’t 
know what in the world to do with Jinny. She 
told me this morning that she was going to 
run off. So I stayed with her, even when she 
wanted to have supper downtown, hoping I 
could make her finally come home. I didn’t 
want to let her go to her aunt’s, and then run 
home and tell, and I couldn’t bear to leave her 
alone. She had just got sick of putting nickels 
in the slot when your father came in!” 

‘‘Father alwavs knows what to do in emer- 
gencies,” said Rose, proudly. “Really, he 
does. Of course, he has had some experience 
with this sort of emergency. I ran away once, 
Joyce.” 

“You did?’^ 

“Yes, just about as far as Virginia did! I 
got mad because mother wouldn’t buy me a 
terrible green dress that I fell in love with. 
Father came after me, and found me, and 
brought me back. We often laugh about it, 
now!” 

“It’s funny when it’s all over,” said Evelyn, 
“but I thought, coming down, that I should 
never laugh again. Whatever would we have 
done without your father. Rose?” 

“He’ll be as happy as you are that every- 





A MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE 


81 


thing is all right again, ’ ^ declared Rose. ‘ ‘ We ^11 
have a merry Christmas, after all our scare!*' 

Indeed, it seemed as if they all would, for 
as the girls said good-night, they heard Aline 
behind them saying to Virginia: 

‘‘Your hair looks—er—perfectly wonderful, 
Jinny! And you mustn't worry about what 
Helena says, any more. I heard her yesterday, 
but I never thought it would vex you so. I 
won't let her do it again!" 




I 


CHAPTER VII 

EVELYN PLAY 

T HIS,^’ announced Priscilla, ^‘is the 
time we get a treat. ^ ’ 

It was half-past three on a cold 
Monday afternoon in early February. The 
Linger-Not Club was meeting at Priscilla ^s, 
and with them was Miss Langdon, who had been 
invited especially to hear Evelyn’s play, which, 
after many struggles on the part of the writer, 
and much advice, good and otherwise, from the 
other girls, had been declared ready for a first 
discussion. 

^‘I don’t know about the treat,” said Evelyn 
doubtfully. ‘‘It’s been a lot of hard work, 
though everybody seems to think it just flows 
right out of my pen.” 

“Out of the Old Oaken Desk,” corrected Dor¬ 
othy. “Go ahead and tell us all about it, Eve¬ 
lyn. We won’t interrupt.” 

“But you must!” said Evelyn earnestly. 

“If there’s anything you don’t like, then we 

82 


EVELYN’S PLAY 


83 


can fix it right away before we start rehears¬ 
ing. ’ ’ 

“All right, then we’ll oblige by interrupt¬ 
ing. I’d like to interrupt before we begin-” 

“Anyone could tell Dorothy had an Irish 
grandfather,” observed Aline. 

“—and say that I trust the distinguished 
author has made up good parts suitable for 
each of our members.” 

“How could shef You know we’re going to 
vote on assigning the parts, Dorothy. We 
thought that was much the fairest thing to do,” 
said Priscilla, with just a trace of presidential 
worry in her voice. 

“I’ll tell you what I did about that,” said 
Evelyn. “I wrote just nine parts, and they’re 
all very good! It was hard to write a play 
where all the parts are awfully good, but I 
thought that was the kind we ought to have.” 

“You’re a genius,” declared Dorothy. 
“Pray proceed, Evelyn. You interest us 
greatly. What is the title of the drama!” 

“It’s called An American Heroine, and this 
is the list of characters,” replied Evelyn, re¬ 
ferring to a sheet of paper in her hand. 


Esther Jaffrey 
Mrs. Grinnell, her aunt 


Frances Hatfield 
Mary Ogden . 


^friends of Esther’s 






84 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


Aunt Dinah, an old colored servant 



William Jaffrey, Esther’s brother 
Lieutenant Paget, U. S. N. 

‘‘Who is Lieutenant Paget?” demanded Dor¬ 
othy. 

“Wait, and you’ll see,” advised Evelyn. 
“The first act takes place in the living-room 
of the Jaifrey house in 1814.” 

“How many acts are there?” asked Aline. 

“Four.” 

“Are they all at the house?” inquired Rose. 

“No, one is in the middle of Hell Gate.” 

“Goodness, how exciting!” cried Muriel, 
roused to speech. “Hurry up and go on, 
Evelyn! ’ ’ 

“Well, Esther is discovered, when the cur¬ 
tain rises, entertaining her two friends, and 
working-” 

“On the sampler!” cried Virginia. 

“No, Jinny, not on the sampler. Esther is 
An American Heroine, and she’s working on 
bandages for the wounded sailors in the fleet. 
The girls talk about the war, and how brave 
the American sailors are, and how everybody 
will fight till the last man is killed if they have 
to in order to win.” 

“But how could they, if everybody—oh, well. 





EVELYN’S PLAY 


85 


never mind! Go ahead. Only, you ought to 
call it Three American Heroines/^ said Helena, 
beginning a rather just criticism, but showing 
herself more careful of Evelyn’s feelings than 
she usually was with most people. 

“Then Esther’s aunt comes in—that’s Mrs. 
Grinnell—and says such a sacrifice will be un¬ 
necessary, because the United States will soon 
sue for peace. Then she sits down and cries 
because the war is so wicked, and the girls go 
right on making bandages.” 

The listeners nodded strong approval. 

“Aunt Dinah comes in next, announcing two 
ladies calling on Mrs. Grinnell. While they 
are coming in. Aunt Dinah gets Esther to one 
side and says that an American naval officer 
is lying senseless on the front lawn.” 

“Goodness! How did he get there!” in¬ 
quired Muriel. 

“He was swept off his ship, which was pass¬ 
ing up the river, by the overhanging branches 
of a tree.” 

“Oh, just the way it really happened!” cried 
the girls, much pleased. 

“Esther orders him brought into the house, 
but before she can tell her aunt, she hears Miss 
Bowne say that a large fleet of enemy ships 
has been seen in the Sound, and Mrs. Russell 
says that perhaps then the war will really be 
over sometime. And Mrs. Grinnell says that 




86 LINGEK-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


she thinks it’s so foolish to fight, especially 
since one can’t buy any clothes that are fit to 
be seen any more, on account of the blockade, 
that she would do all she could to bring the 
war to an end. So Esther decides she will say 
nothing, and just take care of the officer her¬ 
self. She slips off to see to him, and doesn’t 
come back until after the old ladies have gone, 
and then she tells the girls about the officer, 
who is still unconscious, and says that for the 

sake of safety, she has put him-” 

Where?” whispered a breathless chorus, 
as Evelyn paused. 

‘‘Into the secret chamber!” 

“In the Jaffrey House? Evel 3 ni dear!** pro¬ 
tested Rose. “You know there’s hardly as 
much as a shelf on the wall in that house!” 

“Well, there ought to be a secret chamber,” 
said Evelyn obstinately. 

“Let’s leave the situation of the room to fhe 
imagination,” suggested Miss Langdon, who 
had been an interested listener as the plot un¬ 
folded. “You don’t have to have everything 
explained. Rose. The audience won’t know as 
much about the house as you do.” 

‘ ‘ All right, ’ ’ said Rose submissively. ‘ ‘ What 
happens then?” 

“The girls go off to get ready for a ball at 
Mrs. Russell’s, leaving Aunt Dinah to watch 
the officer. That’s all the first act. 






EVELYN’S PLAY 


87 


‘‘In the second act, it’s midnight, and the 
girls are sitting around one candle after their 
return from the ball. They have learned from 
their partners at the ball that this officer’s ship, 
the Valorj is one of a fleet putting out to engage 
the enemy, and that this fleet is now lying just 
across the river, waiting for a wind, and that 
the enemy fleet has been informed of its ap¬ 
proach. They say that Mrs. Russell kept say¬ 
ing all evening that the British admiral, who 
is a friend of hers, has sent her word that he 
would dine with her some day the next week! 

“Just at this moment. Aunt Dinah brings in 
the officer, who has come to. The girls tell him 
everything that has happened, and he says he 
must rejoin his ship at once, and have the sail¬ 
ing-orders changed, or the enemy will not be 
surprised by the American fleet. The question 
is, how to get across the river.” 

“In the middle of the night, too!” gasped 
Muriel. 

“Oh, it’s moonlight. He asks Esther if she 
has a rowboat, and she has, but she tells him 
he couldn’t possibly shoot the rapids, and 
neither can she, alone. But she has a brother 
who is only fifteen, but he knows where all the 
rocks are in the channel, and she thinks that the 
two of them will be strong enough to row the 
officer over. Of course he makes a fuss, but 
she wakes up the brother, and he is crazy to 





88 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


do it, so they all three go off to the boat. They 
are to send up a rocket when they reach the 
ship. The girls wait at the window in great 
anguish, until finally they see the rocket go 
off. That’s all the second act.” 

“And does Esther get back?” demanded 
J oyce. 

“Yes, the third act is the next morning, and 
she tells all about their adventures. Then the 
girls look across the river to the place where 
the Valor was, and they see only a merchant 
ship. But Esther says that the Valor has been 
ordered to disguise herself that way, and so 
have the other ships of the fleet, so they can 
sail without being suspected by the enemy. 

“Then I do want to have just a short scene, 
showing how the Valor was disguised, and I 
thought Miss Langdon could help us do that, 
she knows how to do so many things. Couldn’t 
you. Miss Langdon?” said Evelyn appealingly. 

“ I ’ll try! ’ ’ said the young teacher promptly. 
“I can’t promise to succeed, for I’ve never had 
much experience in disguising ships! But that 
scene would add a lot to the play, wouldn’t it?” 

“Oh, yes!” agreed the club. “What hap¬ 
pens then, Evelyn?” 

“The last act, which is after the war. Lieu¬ 
tenant Paget has fallen in love with Esther, 
and comes back to see her. And he tells her 
aunt and the other ladies the story of her hero- 




EVELYN’S PLAY 


89 


ism, and how it helped win a great victory. 
And they are ashamed, especially Mrs. Russell, 
who has lost all her money in the war! And 
everyone else is happy, and it is all due to the 
American heroine.’’ 

Evelyn stopped, out of breath. 

“It’s perfectly splendid!” said everybody. 
“How bright you are to think of all that, 
Evelyn! Isn’t she. Miss Langdon 1 ’ ’ 

“Yes, it’s a very pleasant mixture of fiction 
and fact,” smiled Miss Langdon. “The bold 
admiral who invited himself to dinner, though 
he never came, was a real person—and it was 
the famous ship Essex that disguised herself 
in the War of 1812, off South America, wasn’t 
it? The rest of your story, Evelyn, is very 
entertaining, and if you make Esther do any¬ 
thing she didn’t, no one can correct you.” 

“Isn’t anything known about that family of 
Jaffreys?” asked Priscilla. 

“Very little, my father says,” answered 
Rose. ‘ * They always lived very quietly, though 
they were wealthy and respected. I guess Eve¬ 
lyn’s play is much more exciting than anything 
they ever did.” 

“And it’s all written out, isn’t it, Evelyn?” 
asked Priscilla. 

“Yes, it’s over there on the table. I brought 
it so you girls could take it and copy your 
parts. ’ ’ 




90 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


‘‘Then we ought to vote on the parts. Well, 
there’s only one person who ought to be Aunt 
Dinah, and that’s Virginia. She’s so crazy to 
black up I ” 

“Yes, do please let me be her,” begged Vir¬ 
ginia. 

There was no competition for this part, and 
all the girls were so glad that Virginia had what 
she wanted that no one thought of making the 
obvious remark that her hair, at least in its 
present state, qualified her well for Au/nt 
Dinah*s role. 

Priscilla, who was universally popular, was 
favored with the part of Esther, rather to her 
confusion, and Dorothy was immediately nom¬ 
inated for the role of William, greatly to her 
satisfaction, for she had wanted the part all the 
time. The girls were equally determined that 
Rose should be Lieutenant Paget, because she 
was tall and what Muriel called “romantic¬ 
looking.” Evelyn could see that Helena, in 
spite of her attractions and ability, was not go¬ 
ing to fare well in the contest, and she also 
saw that Helena realized the fact, and was 
rather affronted. 

“It’s nothing but her own fault,” thought 
Evelyn; “if she’d behave better, she’d get as 
well treated as anyone.” 

Then she remembered that she was to be a 





EVELYN’S PLAY 


91 


friend to Helena, and the next minute heard 
someone saying: 

“Helena, you can be the aunt, Mrs. Grinnell. 
She has a long part.’^ 

‘ ‘ I won ^t! ^ ’ cried Helena sharply. ‘ ‘ I think 
it^s a mean part! I wouldn’t be so unpatriotic 
for anything!” 

“It’s only make-believe, you know,” re¬ 
marked Miss Langdon, soothingly. “It’s just 
to bring out the contrast in characters. No one 
thinks you’re unpatriotic, Helena.” 

“I don’t care, I don’t want the part.” 

“Give it to me,” said Evelyn. “I don’t 
mind. I wrote it just to show how mean some 
people always are. It doesn’t make me mean, 
and I don’t want a good part if I wrote the 
play. ’ ’ 

“I don’t see why not,” said Aline. “I think 
you ought to be Frances.^* 

“I won’t hQ Frances!^* said Evelyn. “Helena 
can do it much better than I can, and I nom¬ 
inate her for it. ” 

The girls saw that her mind was made up, 
and perhaps they also saw that Helena would 
be excellent as one of the leading girl char¬ 
acters, much better than in the quaint part of 
the unpatriotic elderly aunt, which Evelyn, 
with her power of imagination, could probably 
play very well. Helena, therefore, was chosen 
as Frances, Evelyn as Mrs. Grinnell, and AHne 




92 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


as Mary, Joyce and Muriel, following Evelyn 
example, declared themselves perfectly satis¬ 
fied to be Miss Bowne and Mrs, Russell, and 
announced that their acting was going to be 
perfectly wonderful. 

‘^Now for the costumes,’^ said Helena, her 
good humor quite restored. ‘‘Of course, we 
all wear short-waisted frocks, in light colors, 
with our hair done high in a cluster of ringlets. 
Isn’t that the way the girls dressed in those 
days, Miss Langdon?” 

“Yes. What shall you do about getting your 
costumes? Each one make her own? You can 
copy the old styles in inexpensive materials, 
you know.” 

“Yes, I think it would be lots of fun to do 
that,” said Helena, and It seemed to be the 
general opinion. 

“I have an idea,” said Rose. “Father is 
just beginning to unpack those trunks in the 
garret, and there are some gorgeous dresses 
there that we could copy, if he would let us. 
I’ll ask him.” 

“And for the two young gentlemen,” con¬ 
tinued Miss Langdon,—“I see they are looking 
anxious!—^I think we could hire suitable rai¬ 
ment from a costumer. That wouldn’t be very 
expensive. And now, for that ship. Evelyn, 
I’ve been thinking hard, but I don’t see where 
you’ll get a crew from your company. You’ll 




EVELYN’S PLAY 


93 


have to send out an SOS. Haven’t you girls 
any brothers that like to act ? ’ ’ 

‘‘Not with girls!” replied all the sisters of 
brothers, promptly and in unison. 

“But Evelyn’s plan makes the scene entirely 
separate from the rest of the play. The boys 
could be by themselves, and all together.” 

“They might like that,” admitted Priscilla. 
“Let’s see how many of them there are that are 
old enough and not too old. There are my two 
brothers, and there’s Paul—he’s Dorothy’s 
twin—Aline, would Tom take partf” 

“He would if Paul did.” 

“My kid brother Gordon would probably like 
to be in it,” volunteered Helena. “He’s only 
eleven, but he could be cabin-boy.” 

“That’s only five—it’s not enough.” 

“I’ll ask my cousins, the Sutherland boys,” 
offered Muriel. 

“Are those Sutherland boys your cousins!” 
cried Miss Langdon. “Why, if we could get 
them, the scene is as good as made!” 

Her enthusiasm was shared by everyone, and 
Muriel, the silent, the retiring, basked in the 
glow of public applause. The three Sutherland 
boys, who lived in the large house on the south¬ 
ern corner of the parkway, were famous local 
characters. They were respectively thirteen, 
fourteen, and fifteen. Whatever boys could 
do, or know, or make, was familiar to them. 




94 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


When they tired of raising rabbits in the back 
yard, and wireless towers on the roof, they 
would retire to the fastnesses of the top floor, 
which belonged to them, and invent hydraulic 
engines, and traps to catch tigers. They had a 
laboratory from which frightful noises and 
smells were wont to issue and alarm the neigh¬ 
bors. Their accomplishments made them highly 
respected by the other boys of the neighbor¬ 
hood, and though the three apparently pre¬ 
ferred one another’s society, in general, to 
that of most other persons, they were consid¬ 
ered a great addition to any gathering. If any 
boys could rig, disguise, man, and sail a ship, 
it would be the Sutherlands. 

‘^Do get them, Muriel,” said Rose, ‘‘and 
if you do, I think we ought to have a good 
place to give the play in, just to show it off 
properly. I shall ask father if he won’t find 
out from the Society if we can’t use the as¬ 
sembly room. It’s meant for the use of the 
neighborhood, and I don’t see why we couldn’t 
have it.” 

“Then if we can, let’s sell tickets, and give 
the money to the Society to buy things for 
their collection!” cried Dorothy. “I think 
that would be a splendid idea, even if I did 
think of it myself!” 

“Girls, girls!” cried Miss Langdon, trying to 
stem the storm of applause roused by this 





EVELYN’S PLAY 


95 


brilliant financial plan, ‘‘stop just a minute I 
How far are you going? I thought this was 
just to be a little entertainment for your 
friends/^ 

“It was, but why can^t we do something 
bigger?’’ said Priscilla. “Don’t you think 
we’re able to. Miss Langdon?” 

“You really took my breath away for a 
moment,” confessed Miss Langdon. “Of 
course, if all your plans turn out just the way 
you want them to—if the Society will lend 
you the room, and the boys will help, and you 
are all willing to work very hard rehearsing— 
you might succeed. But I don’t want you to 
think that it will be easy. It is a very big 
undertaking that you have planned since we 
sat down here an hour ago.” 

“That’s why we like it—because it’s big,” 
said Helena. 

“Oh, we’ll all work. Miss Langdon,” prom¬ 
ised Priscilla. “And it’s so much nicer to get 
other people to help and give something really 
good, if we can, and do something for the 
neighborhood and our friends, than to give a 
foolish little show just for ourselves.” 

“That’s perfectly true,” agreed her teacher, 
“and of course. I’ll help you all I can. This 
is the way that good ideas always grow when 
people are willing to work together, and very 





96 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


often they do succeed. How soon do you wish 
to give the playT’ 

“We thought of doing it early in the spring,’^ 
said Priscilla. 

“Then we ought to set about rehearsing at 
once. ’ ^ 

“All right, let^s spend the rest of the time 
copying our parts, ’ ^ and in a few minutes noth¬ 
ing was heard in the room where the nine were 
assembled except the scratching of pencils. 




CHAPTER VIII 


LOTS OF TROUBLE 

“ A RE you going home now?’^ asked Rose, 

/A meeting Evelyn in the school hall one 
day not long after the events recorded 
in the last chapter. 

“Yes, right away.’’ 

“Then 1^11 walk over with you.’’ 

As soon as the girls had left the building, 
Rose said: 

“Father has just heard from the secretary 
of the Society, and they are quite willing for 
us to use the assembly room for our play. But 
we must let them know the date we want it for, 
so they won’t give it to anyone else. I’m going 
to stop at Priscilla’s to tell her.” 

“Isn’t that fine!” said Evelyn. “Have you 
heard whether the boys will take part or not!” 

“No, perhaps Priscilla has. I dare say they 
will, if we can have the big room. The Society 
has given us a start, anyhow. That’s some¬ 
thing to be thankful for,” said Rose, with a 
sigh. 


97 


98 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


‘‘Why, what^s the matter, Rose?” asked 
Evel)^!. Rose unquestionably looked very blue. 
“Has something happened?” 

“Yes, something has. I am so mad I don’t 
know what to do. You know my father has 
been planning a book on Famous America/n 
Fighting-ships for a long time?” 

“Yes, you said something about it.” 

“Well, he had been corresponding with a 
publisher about it, and the publisher—Marsden 
& Company—^had almost agreed to take it. 
They had approved all his plans, and he was 
going to start working on it right away. This 
morning he received a letter from them saying 
that they could not take the book after all.” 

“What a pity! Your father must be terribly 
disappointed. ’ ’ 

“He is. And I believe it’s all the fault of 
that dreadful Helena Hawthorne.” 

“Helena? Why, how could she have any¬ 
thing to do with it?” 

“She’s Mr. Marsden’s niece. The Marsden 
girls are those cousins of hers she’s always 
visiting. ’ ’ 

“But I don’t see”- 

“I think she told them about that accident 
that happened to the old documents about guns, 
which father was using at the time of the fire 
in the State Library. I thought everybody 
knew that long ago. Had you heard of it ? ” 





LOTS OF TROUBLE 


99 


^‘Why, yes, it’s not a secret, is it?” 

“Oh, no. It happened nearly ten years ago, 
and it was in the papers, because the Library 
offered a reward to anyone who could return 
the documents, and wrote father a letter ex¬ 
onerating him from any blame in connection 
with the fire, which they found had been caused 
by defective wiring.” 

Here was news to Evelyn! Helena, if she 
knew about the letter, had not revealed it. 
Evelyn said nothing, and Bose continued: 

“You see, Helena is always trying to live 
up to those Marsden girls, who are three or 
four years older than she is, and have a dozen 
times as much money. Of course she knew, as 
many people did, that father was planning this 
book on ships, and she also knew her uncle’s 
firm was interested in it. It’s my opinion that 
she heard the story about the fire lately, 
thought it was new, because she didn’t re¬ 
member when the accident happened ten years 
ago, and succeeded in impressing her cousins 
with something they didn’t know, either. 
Haven’t you noticed how pleased she’s been 
with herself lately?” 

“Even more than usual!” sighed Evelyn, 
with a little laugh. “And do you think the girls 
told their father?” 

“Yes.” 

“But if your father was exonerated by the 





100 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


Library, I shouldn't think he would have any 
more trouble over the accident. ’ ^ 

‘^Evelyn, you have no idea how hard the 
least trouble with a personas reputation is to 
live down!^’ cried Rose, the tears almost in 
her eyes. ^ ^ I know my father had nothing more 
to do with the disappearance of those papers 
than I did, and he has ever so many friends 
who have perfect confidence in him, but one 
or two people who aren^t convinced can make 
more trouble than a dozen loyal friends can 
do away with. This isnT the first time he’s 
had to give up writing certain articles that in¬ 
volved the inspection of valuable documents, 
but it is the first time that it will make a serious 
dilference to us.” 

‘^Why, what do you mean?” 

‘‘The money from the book was intended to 
help pay my college expenses in two years, 
when I hope to go, and now I don’t know if I 
can go at all! ” 

“Oh, Rose, how dreadful! But are you sure 
it will never be published ? ’ ’ 

“I’m sure Marsden & Company’s saying 
they can’t take it is just a polite way of say¬ 
ing they won’t give the work to my father. 
They have evidently been influenced against 
him. ’ ’ 

“Why, how could a mere child like Helena 
influence a big publishing company! ’ ’ exclaimed 




LOTS OF TROUBLE 


101 


Evelyn incredulously. ‘‘What could she say 
that would change their minds 

“It’s not what she says of her own self,” re¬ 
plied Rose, “but how she calls their attention 
to the bad side of other people’s talk. They 
have heard of only half of what has been said, 
and I’ve heard father say that a half truth is 
often worse than a lie. ’ ’ 

“You don’t think Helena did it on purpose?” 
cried Evelyn, greatly shocked. 

“Of course I want to be fair,” answered 
Rose, trying to speak quietly, “and the only 
reason I think it was her doing is that she 
spent the last week-end at her cousins. Last 
Friday Marsden & Company wrote father and 
made an appointment this week to discuss the 
book with him, and to-day, which is Tuesday, 
this second letter arrived putting an absolute 
end to the whole proposal. Of course they may 
only want to investigate the facts about the 
State Library accident, but it makes a very 
unpleasant situation.” 

“I’m sure that must be what they want to 
do,” said Evelyn, trying to offer some com¬ 
fort. “How could Helena’s silly talk upset the 
whole plan?” 

“Anybody that drags up an old story and 
passes it around can upset—well, I was going 
to say the earth!” said Rose, with an experi¬ 
ence in advance of her fifteen years. 




102 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


^‘But I don’t see why she should want to 
do it!” cried Evelyn, in real perplexity. 

‘‘Oh, I don’t really think she had any idea 
how much harm she could do by gossiping,” 
admitted Bose magnanimously. “Of course, I 
think she dislikes me because I always am 
ahead of her in school, and it did look as if I 
was going to have what I wanted and going 
to college. You’re not in her class, of course, 
Evelyn, and perhaps you may not have noticed 
that Helena isn’t good at lessons at all. She’s 
wonderfully musical, and gifted but so far her 
mother can’t afford to have her educated prop¬ 
erly in music, so you see she really hasn’t 
anything she wants, and I think it makes her 
spiteful. Well, there’s nothing to do but wait 
and see how things turn out. Here we are at 
Priscilla’s.” 

Priscilla had already reached home, and was 
delighted to hear Bose’s news about the as¬ 
sembly room. She also had some information 
to impart in return. 

“The boys will take part!” she announced. 
“You know, Muriel is an awfully smart child, 
and it’s all due to her that we got them to come 
into the play. She went and told her cousins 
that we wanted a ship made, only she didn’t 
think they knew anything about those old ships 
because they were so much interested in tiger- 
traps and so forth, and of course they immedi- 





LOTS OF TROUBLE 


103 


ately said they could easily make any kind of 
ship that ever sailed! Only they thought it was 
queer for girls to want a ship. So she asked 
them to be in the scene, and they said they 
would. And then all the other boys said that if 
the Sutherlands would, they would 

‘‘So that^s settled,’’ said Evelyn. “I had no 
idea Muriel was so clever.” 

“You never can tell about these awfully quiet 
people,” replied Priscilla, with an air of ex¬ 
perience. “And Miss Langdon says that some 
day soon she’ll go downtown with one or two 
of us and shop for material for our dresses.” 

“That reminds me,” said Rose, “that I 
asked father about the dresses that he and the 
assistant curators are unpacking, and he said 
we might come up to the garret and look if we 
would promise not to touch. Of course I prom¬ 
ised for everybody! Do you girls want to come 
over this afternoon, and see what there is, so 
as to have ideas in case we go shopping unex¬ 
pectedly?” 

Neither Evelyn nor Priscilla had much 
studying to do for the next day, so they both 
accepted the invitation with alacrity, and made 
their way quickly over to the Jaffrey House. 
They left their things in Rose’s room, and she 
then led them up a small staircase at the other 
end of the Willings’ private hall, to the low- 
ceilinged attic, where they found Mr. Willing 




104 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


and one of his assistants cataloguing and ex¬ 
amining the contents of several trunks, the first 
that had been opened of a quantity that nearly 
filled the attic. 

‘‘Aren’t they sweet I” cried Priscilla, look¬ 
ing lovingly at (but not touching) some quaint 
old frocks, of rose-color and lavender, that 
were laid at full length on a large piece of 
white canvas stretched on the floor. ‘ ‘ Mr. Will¬ 
ing, are these going to be put on exhibition 
downstairs ? ’ ’ 

“Yes, very soon, and you can come and see 
them again if you want to copy the style,” 
answered Mr. Willing, “but Rose thought you 
would like to see the colors right away before 
you bought the materials for your costumes.” 

The rays of the western sun, falling through 
the single window of the garret, brought out 
the old-fashioned shades of the gowns to per¬ 
fection, and made the girls despair of ever 
matching them in modem material. They de¬ 
cided, however, that a certain shade of blue 
was just the one to try to find for Esther, and 
that Mary and Frances ought respectively to 
wear a pink flowered muslin and a green-dotted 
mull. For her own part of Mrs, Grinnell, 
Evelyn decided firmly on a garnet shade which 
appeared in a gown that had evidently be¬ 
longed to a very large lady of long ago. The 
girls remonstrated in vain', and suggested lav- 




LOTS OF TROUBLE 


105 


ender as likely to be more becoming. Evelyn 
was adamant, and said that she wished to look 
exactly like a foolish old lady, if that was what 
she was meant to be I 

“I guess you’re right, perhaps, Evelyn,” 
said Rose finally, ‘‘though that garnet is a 
terrible color. If you will wear it, I think you 
ought to have a cap, to make up for it, though.” 

“Here’s a cap that came with that costume,” 
said Mr. Willing, holding up a majestic con¬ 
fection of lace, with black velvet strings and a 
large frill. “If you young ladies have finished 
here, you can take this downstairs with you to 
examine it, but Rose must bring it up again in 
a few minutes. I’m sorry to disturb you, but 
we need the room to put down another canvas, 
for we’re going to open another trunk.” 

“Oh, we have quite finished, Mr. Willing,” 
said Priscilla, “it’s awfully kind of you to let 
us get a first view this way, and we’ve got lots 
of ideas! Of course you need the room. I had 
no idea the attic was so small. ’ ’ 

“It’s the way the roof slopes,” said Rose. 
“It looks big outside, but not when you get in. 
Come on, let’s go and take a pattern of this 

wonderful cap for Evelyn.” 

Evelyn tried on the cap before Rose’s mirror, 
and was not displeased to find that it was very 
becoming, while it added to her height and be- 




106 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


stowed on her a dignity very essential to a lady 
of Mrs, GrinnelVs strong principles. 

She borrowed pencil and paper from Rose, 
and took a seat in the corner beside the jutting 
brick fireplace, and began to measure and 
sketch the cap. Priscilla and Rose discussed 
the color-scheme for the other girls’ costumes, 
and various problems which had come up in 
connection with the play, notably the most tact¬ 
ful method of prevailing on Virginia to refrain 
from tying gilt curtain-rings on her ears, a 
touch which she insisted would lend perfect 
realism to the part of Aunt Dinah. 

Evelvn finished her sketch, and waited for a 
good opportunity to interrupt the earnest con¬ 
versation and give back the cap, for which she 
knew Mr. Willing was waiting. It was the first 
time she had been in Rose’s room since the 
occasion of her invitation to see the museum, 
and as she now examined it leisurely, it con¬ 
firmed her first impression, that it was a room 
any girl would fancy. Its odd shape, quaint 
fireplace, large deep windows, even the shabby 
mahogany wainscoting, which in places, as near 
the fireplace beside her, was scratched and 
marred, added charm to the little chamber in 
the old guest-wing, and made Evelyn glad that 
Rose had at least such a place of refuge from 
the numerous difficulties that beset her. 

At last she felt she had to interrupt even 





LOTS OF TROUBLE 


107 


so important a point of discussion as what the 
price of tickets should be—some members of 
the club rated their value as actors too high, 
others thought!—and she said to Rose: 

‘‘If you’re busy, I’ll just take this cap back 
to your father, and then I must go home.” 

“All right, Evelyn dear, if you don’t mind,” 
replied Rose. “As I was saying, PrisciUa, I 
don’t think anybody in the show is worth a 
dollar. Let’s propose twenty-five cents.” 

Evelyn sped down the hall and upstairs with 
the cap. Mr. Willing was deep in a trunk, but 
he greeted her with a kind smile and thanked 
her for her promptness in returniug the mil¬ 
linery. 

“Let me know if there’s anything else I can 
do for you,” he said. “I hear you’ve written 
a fine play.” 

“ It’s not very good, ’ ’ said Evelyn, modestly, 
“but I’m glad that Rose has one of the best 
parts.” 

Mr. Willing looked proud for a moment, and 
then sighed. 

“I’m glad too,” he said, “for I want her to 
have all the fun she can. ’ ’ 

Evelyn pondered on his words as she went 
downstairs, and again after she had said good¬ 
bye to Rose and was on her way home across 
the park. She knew why he had sighed, she 
thought. It was because his late disappoint- 




108 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


ment over the book made him feel that he could 
not do for Rose all he would wish to, and it was 
very hard for him to bear. 

And what a good friend Mr. Willing had 
been to her family, finding Joyce so promptly 
that dreadful Christmas Eve less than three 
months ago, and how kind he was about the 
play! He was as friendly in his way as Rose 
had been in hers, and Evelyn really treasured 
Rose’s friendship because she saw that it was 
founded on a confidence in her own worth which 
she sincerely hoped she merited. If she could 
only do something to help Rose and her father, 
she felt it would give her great happiness. But, 
as Rose had said, the only thing to do seemed 
to be to wait awhile and see how things turned 
out. 

Then there was Helena, the cause, or the 
apparent cause, of nearly all the trouble that 
Evelyn had experienced since she had joined 
the Linger-Nots. She had managed to get her 
a good part in the play, for which she knew 
Helena to be personally grateful to her, but 
far from making Helena behave better, it 
seemed to have had no influence on her conduct 
toward other members of the club. It was true 
that Helena was working hard on her part, and 
doing everything she could to make the play a 
success. But that was all. Nearly all the girls 
were down on her, and if they ever learned the 




LOTS OF TROUBLE 


109 


story connected with Mr. Willing’s book, they 
would, Evelyn felt, have nothing more to do 
with Helena. Then she would need a friend 
worse than ever. Oh, dear! 

‘‘Sometimes it’s nice to be a friend, and 
sometimes it’s not,” thought Evelyn, as she 
went up her own stoop, “but it’s always dread¬ 
fully responsible! ’ ’ 




CHAPTER IX 


AMERICAN HEROINE 

OSEI Are you ready? Because if 
you are, Miss Langdon says you’re 
^ to come right off, please,” cried 
Joyce, knocking loudly on Rose’s door. 

‘^Yes, I am. Oh, dear, the audience isn’t 
there, is it?” gasped Rose, opening the door^ 
and appearing in the full glory of cocked hat, 
gold lace, polished boots, and draped in a fine 
blue cape, which the costumer had assured her 
were the correct apparel of early American 
naval officers. 

‘‘Of course. I should hope so!” said the 
sensible Joyce, adjusting her flower-trimmed 
poke bonnet and patting her black mitts. 
“That’s what we sold the tickets for, isn’t it! 
Rose, you do look perfectly gorgeous, and so 
does Dorothy!” 

“I do rather like this coat, only I should 

have thought it belonged to the Puritans, 

really, ’ ’ answered Dorothy, examining her long 

brown coat with its flapping pockets and many 

nickel buttons. “I wanted boots too, but Miss 

110 


AMERICAN HEROINE’’ 


111 


Langdon said I must wear low shoes, so I made 
silver buckles for them.’^ 

‘‘You look something like Pilgrim^s Prog¬ 
ress, and I didn’t know sailors wore boots,” 
said Joyce, critically. “However, I guess it’s 
best to wear what’s becoming. Now do come 
on. Don’t be scared, Rose, you can’t put it 
olf any longer, and it certainly ought to be good 
after the way we have rehearsed. ’ ’ 

The girls scurried to the lecture-room of the 
museum, and entered by the back door. Here, 
behind the scenes, they found all the disorder 
and industry and excitement attendant on a 
play just before the curtain goes up. The six 
other Linger-Nots were grouped around Miss 
Langdon in attitudes of despair, nervousness, 
and pleasure, every one of them noticeably care¬ 
ful not to muss her frock. Priscilla, in her blue 
gown with a gold band around the foot, and 
her fair hair piled high beneath a tall comb, 
made a charming Esther, and Aline in the pink- 
flowered muslin and Helena in the green-dotted 
mull looked almost equally attractive. Evelyn, 
in her garnet frock and immense cap, lent a 
comic air to the scene, which was reflected in 
the elegant purple and crimson calling- 
costumes which Joyce and Muriel had respec¬ 
tively donned. Muriel had added a parasol, a 
fan, and a scent-bottle, all of which she manipu¬ 
lated with great effect. Virginia was at last 





112 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


blacked up, thoroughly, and wore a yellow 
frock, white apron, and red kerchief on her 
hair. 

From the rear of the stage came a deafening 
noise of hammering, as the three Sutherland 
boys, assisted by the five minor members of the 
crew of the Valor, put a few final touches on 
that gallant vessel. Dick Barry, who had con¬ 
sented to act as stage manager, snapped the 
footlights on and off, and made sure that the 
curtain would work. Through the curtain came 
a steady buzz of conversation that confirmed 
Joyce ^s statement that the audience had ar¬ 
rived, as well as merry bursts of music from 
the piano, which Miss Phillips had offered to 
play during intervals. 

‘‘The boys look splendid!’’ remarked Joyce, 
taking a peep at the busy crew. “I do think 
their coats are wonderful.” 

“You quite cheer me up, Joyce,” said Miss 
Langdon. “Whenever I think of making eight 
blue muslin coats with gilt braid, I feel faint! 
I shall never do it again, I’m sure.” 

“Did you make their hats, too?” 

‘ ‘ Hats ? Have they hats ? ’ ’ cried Miss Lang¬ 
don, springing up in surprise. “I made only 
one for Roger Sutherland, who is supposed to 
be captain.” 

“They all have them,” said Joyce, “cocked 
hats with gilt cockades.” 




“AN AMERICAN HEROINE’’ 


113 


‘‘Then it^s a crew of officers/’ said Miss 
Langdon resignedly, sitting down again. ‘ ‘ They 
all wanted them, and I suppose those three 
Sutherland boys made them out of newspaper 
and covered them with that blue muslin. A 
cocked hat for a cabin-boy! Well, never mind. 
They’re happy, and their ship is wonderful.” 

“Miss Langdon,” announced Dick, stepping 
down off the rear of the stage, “it’s eight 
o’clock and all the audience seems to be here.” 

“Very well, then let us begin,” answered 
Miss Langdon. “Now, girls, don’t get excited. 
You all look very nice, and you know your 
parts perfectly. Boys! You’ve got to keep 
quiet now, we’re going to begin. Come over 
here where you can look on. Never mind the 
ship now, Roger, it’s all right. No, Rose, your 
hair is not coming down, I pinned it tightly. 
Dick, raise the curtain—^now, we’ll have to be¬ 
gin!” 

The picture on which the curtain rose, of 
Esther and her two friends, working on white 
strips of muslin before an American flag that 
was draped in the background, was so attrac¬ 
tive that the audience began to applaud before 
the first speech could be uttered, and the whole 
company on and behind the stage, including 
Miss Langdon, gave a sigh of relief. Perhaps 
the play would be good, after all! 

Then the pacifistic Mrs, Grinnell came on, 




114 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


and Evelyn brought the first laugh of the eve¬ 
ning with her crocodile tears. She was rather 
eclipsed, however, by her two callers, and par¬ 
ticularly so by Muriel, who had developed 
striking dramatic talents. She sniffed at her 
scent-bottle with such a tragic air as she re¬ 
marked: ‘‘I never could let my dear husband 
go to the war!^’ that the audience, composed 
of neighbors who had known Muriel all her life 
as the most modest of all violets, shrieked with 
laughter and burst into applause. 

Virginia was not recognized for a long time, 
much to her gratification. Although she had 
the smallest part, she entered into it with vigor, 
and made Aunt Dinah amazingly important 
and picturesque. 

If the first act won the friendship of the 
audience, the second won their enthusiasm. 
Rose looked strikingly handsome in the candle¬ 
light, and no one thought of criticizing her 
boots. Dorothy was equally applauded, and 
when Lieutenant Paget suggested the possibil¬ 
ity of the rowboat going aground on the rocks 
in Hell Gate, William cried: Never! In our 
country’s cause we cannot fail!” with a fervor 
that won a curtain-call. 

The third act contained the big surprise of 
the play and brought out the boys in all their 
glory. The accomplished Sutherlands had 
made a cardboard ship about two-thirds the 




AMERICAN HEROINE 


115 


length of the stage, which they propped up on 
the floor with wooden stays. It was painted 
dark brown, and equipped with two masts, a 
full set of sails, and a line of cannon peeping 
out of the portholes. When the curtain rose 
on this gallant ship, she was fully manned with 
a very valiant-looking crew, resplendent in 
gold lace and cocked hats to the last man, and 
before a word could be recited, she won a round 
of applause. The few lines of the scene chiefly 
fell to Roger Sutherland, the captain, for the 
boys had said: ‘‘Let the girls do the talking 
Roger, however, was quite equal to learning 
his commands for the crew, and gave them with 
rim. Under his directions, the crew put up a 
false mast, altered the sails on the original 
masts, and unrolled a strip of brown muslin, 
which they tacked over the line of guns, and 
lol a peaceful merchantman appeared in the 
place of the Valor. During these operations 
two cocked hats fell overboard and remained 
motionless on the waves, but Roger entirely 
distracted attention from this mishap by shout¬ 
ing, with much presence of mind: ‘ ‘ ’Tis done! 
Ere sunset we shall meet the enemy, and they 
will be ours I ^ ’ 

“That was simply magnificent!^’ said Eve¬ 
lyn, behind the scenes, as the boys, much grati¬ 
fied by their reception, dragged the boat off 
the stage and reset the sea with a table and 




116 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


chairs. /‘It was so good that I^m sure the last 
act, where nothing much happens, is going to 
be flat!’’ 

But it was not, for each girl was keyed up 
to do her best, and the audience seemed keenly 
anxious not only to learn of the happiness of 
Esther and Lieutenant Paget, but to be satis¬ 
fied by the undoing of the three disloyal ladies 
as well. 

The whole cast was loudly applauded, and 
Evelyn received a special round as the author. 
The curtain was just going down for the last 
time, when Priscilla’s father, who had been a 
proud spectator of his daughter’s heroic deeds, 
called out: 

“All of you stay where you are, and tell the 
boys to come on again! I’ve brought my cam¬ 
era, and I’ll take a flashlight of the whole cast.” 

The boys were quite willing on this occasion 
to pose with the rest of the company, and the 
blue coats and cocked hats made a splendid 
background for the girls’ dainty old-fashioned 
costumes, as they sat grouped in a semicircle, 
Eose standing at one end and Dorothy at the 
other. Mr. Cleveland’s thoughtfulness put the 
touch on the whole evening, and was highly 
appreciated. 

“Well, that show was worth a whole quar¬ 
ter!” declared Roger, struggling out of his 
gold-laced coat. “We had a swell time.” 




‘‘AN AMERICAN HEROINE»» 


117 


think you all did remarkably well,” said 
Miss Langdon. “This is a real triumph for 
the Linger-Nots!” 

“We made thirty-five dollars,” said Doro¬ 
thy, who had just been counting the receipts 
with Priscilla. “Now let’s go out and see the 
audience. ’ ’ 

Congratulations were showered on the cast 
as they mingled with the departing spectators, 
and one of the most appreciative members of 
the audience was an elderly lady who was a 
member of the Old Landmark Society, and had 
come to see this first performance given in the 
lecture-room by a neighborhood organization. 

“I had no idea the young folks in the neigh¬ 
borhood were so ingenious,” she said to Rose, 
who was standing nearby with Evelyn. “You 
must have made up this whole play about 
Esther out of your heads.” 

“Evelyn did,” answered Rose. “Yes, 
there’s nothing left in Esther’s house about 
her except her sampler. ’ ’ 

“I remember that,” said the lady. “I do 
wish it was daytime, so I could show that 
curious piece of work to my friend here”—she 
indicated another lady who was standing beside 
her—^who lives in Charleston, and is going 
home to-morrow. ’ ’ 

“I should love to see it,” said the Charles- 




118 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


ton lady. must try to come here again next 
time I’m in New York.” 

‘^Perhaps father would let me take you into 
the room where it is,” suggested Hose, ‘‘if 
you’ve come so far. “I’ll ask him!” 

She darted away, and in a moment returned 
with the kev of the room. 

“That’s very kind,” said the Old Landmark 
Society member. “I wish to show you the 
sampler,” she added to her friend, “because 
it’s really quite unusual. The girl who made it 
was an artist, even if nothing more is known 
about her. ’ ’ 

Rose unlocked the door and turned on the 
light, and the four ladies, old and young, gath¬ 
ered around the bit of color on the wall. 

“How very original!” said the lady from 
Charleston. “I’m so glad I could see it! I never 
saw anything like it before, and you know I 
own quite a collection of samplers myself.” 

“Yes, you’re an expert in samplers,” replied 
her friend. “Don’t you think the house is nat¬ 
ural, with the tree beside it? She’s even made 
the smoke coming out of the chimney! ’ ’ 

“Yes, and the blending of the colors in the 
flowers she has chosen is particularly artistic. 
She made that band of buttercups across the 
middle just the right shade to go with the paler 
yellow of the house. Well, that sampler evi¬ 
dently meant a great deal to its maker, and 




“AN AMERICAN HEROINE 


119 


she made it so picturesque that it’s no wonder 
it has survived all these years.” 

‘‘She must have been a very clever girl, and 
deserved, I dare say, to have a play written 
about her,” said the Society member, as she 
turned to go. 

In a few minutes, the JafPrey House was as 
quiet as it had been noisy most of the evening. 
Evelyn, happy as she was, felt quite willing 
to say good-night at once to Rose, and walk 
home across the quiet park in the starlight 
with Dick and Joyce. Triumphs are triumphs, 
but they are tiring, excepting, perhaps, to for¬ 
tunate possessors of dispositions like that of 
Joyce. 

“I never had such a good time!” declared 
the late Miss Bowne, with unquenchable en¬ 
thusiasm. “Everybody said we must give an¬ 
other play right away. Let’s! ” 




CHAPTER X 


BELOW THE PALISADES 

I F the play had been a great triumph, noth¬ 
ing could be more fitting than to celebrate 
a triumph. 

So reasoned all the Linger-Nots at their first 
meeting after the play. All the compliments of 
the great evening had been repeated several 
times apiece, and a letter had been read from 
the secretary of the Old Landmark Society 
thanking the girls heartily for the thirty-five 
dollars, and stating that it was to be used to 
help buy a beautiful old luster tea-set which the 
Society had long hoped to secure for the col¬ 
lection. Everyone was more than happy, and 
in a celebrating mood. 

“Now weVe got to go right on and live up 
to our name,” said Priscilla. “This play 
mustn’t be the only thing that we’ll ever have 
done.” 

“Well, let’s do something for ourselves for a 

change,” suggested Dorothy. “I don’t think 

that would be wicked. We’re all ready to do 

something different, too. Let’s go over to the 

120 


BELOW THE PALISADES 


121 


Palisades on Saturday and spend the day 
there.” 

‘‘That’s a fine idea,” said Priscilla, and 
everybody agreed, for the fine spring weather 
was calling everyone out of doors, and the Pal¬ 
isades, a fairyland near home, was an ideal 
place to spend a day. “Whom shall we ask to 
go with us?” 

“I think it would be nice to invite Miss 
Phillips,” said Evelyn. “She has been so nice 
helping us with the play that I think it would 
be only polite to do something for her, and I 
know she has Saturdavs off sometimes in the 
library, for I’ve heard her say so.” 

To this good suggestion the club readily 
agreed, for Miss Phillips was very popular, 
and a very good friend to all the girls. Evelyn 
agreed to bear the invitation to the librarian 
the next day, when she was going to the library 
to change her books, and then attention was 
turned to the important question of what to 
have to eat on the excursion. 

“Sandwiches, of course,” said Priscilla. 
“Who wants to make them? Nobody? That’s 
funny! Well, somebody has got to. You can’t 
have a picnic without sandwiches. Hurry up! 
This is a call for volunteers!” 

“All right, Priscilla, we’ll make them,” an¬ 
nounced Virginia, to the astonishment of all 
her hearers. “I mean me and Aline and 




122 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


Helena. We all live in the same house, and 
we can get up early and make them altogether 
for everybody.’’ 

*^Well!^^ began Helena. all the fresh” 

—but she cut her sentence short, as she caught 
Aline’s warning eye, and subsided. 

‘^I’ll come to your house and help. Jinny,” 
announced Muriel, with the sweetest of smiles. 
Virginia and she had both gained a great deal 
of self-confidence from their experiences in the 
play, and Muriel was the staunchest of allies. 

That’ll be fine,” said Priscilla quickly. 
‘‘Four is enough to make the sandwiches. I’ll 
make a cake, if you like.” 

“We do like. Make a big one,” advised 
Dorothy, “and I will bring the family cotfee- 
pot, and I’ll carry it, too, I’m not proud. Of 
course I meant to say that I would also bring 
the coffee.” 

“Then Joyce and I will bring bacon, if we’re 
going to have a fire,” said Evelyn, “and we 
can toast it on sticks.” 

“And I,” said Rose, “will bring olives. 
They’re much more important on a picnic than 
sandwiches are!” 

Miss Phillips accepted the flattering invita¬ 
tion of her nine friends with great pleasure, 
and Saturday morning found the whole com¬ 
pany on the Hudson river dock, waiting for 
their boat, in the best of spirits. Virginia had 





BELOW THE PALISADES 


123 


completed her triumph over the enemy by mak¬ 
ing Helena slice all the bread after she had 
decreed that for ten persons no less than fifty 
sandwiches would suffice, and was resting com¬ 
fortably on her laurels. Helena herself was in 
an excellent mood, because her new and very 
pretty sport hat made of moire ribbon put 
everybody else’s headgear decidedly in the 
shade. The sun shone, a light breeze played 
on the waves, and all that was lacking was the 
boat, which did not put in an appearance. 

‘^Waiting for the ferry, lady?’^ inquired a 
loud voice from the water. It came from a man 
in a motorboat, which was coquetting invitingly 
on the waves. 

‘^Yes,’’ replied Miss Phillips. ‘^When does 
the boat come?’’ 

^‘Next Saturday,” replied the man. ‘Ht ain’t 
running yet.” 

A chorus of groans followed this announce¬ 
ment. The man hastened to add: 

‘H’ll take you all over for fifteen cents apiece, 
and bring you back, too. I saw you from the 
other shore and came over. ’ ’ 

^Hs your boat big enough for all of us?” said 
Miss Phillips, looking doubtfully at the little 
craft. 

‘‘Sure. I took thirty people over in it last 
Saturday,” declared the proud owner. “She 
didn’t sink, either.” 




124 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


‘‘If you take people over regularly, I guess 
we ^11 come.’’ 

Miss Phillips spoke a little doubtfully, not 
altogether attracted by the owner’s recom¬ 
mendation of his ship, but the girls were jubi¬ 
lant, and jumped joyfully down into the danc¬ 
ing motorboat. Ten was a tight fit, but they 
all squeezed in somehow. 

“It’s ever so much nicer to go in this little 
boat than in that great big ferryboat where 
you know nothing’s going to happen to you!” 
cried Virginia, hugging Joyce. 

“Nothing’ll happen to you in this here boat, 
either,” declared the pilot, swinging the launch 
around so fast that she nearly spilled half of 
her passengers overboard. “Why, a week ago 
Sunday, I took a load of forty people over in 
her.” 

“Hey!” cried a stentorian voice in the rear. 
“Cut out those yarns! What d’ye mean, going 
over for those folks out of your turn?” 

The skipper of the motorboat, like the one 
of the schooner Hesperus, “answered never a 
word, ’ ’ and without even turning his head, sped 
his boat toward the opposite shore. The pas¬ 
sengers, however, were more curious, and be¬ 
held, directly in their wake, another motor- 
boat, even smaller, chasing them at full speed. 

“Hey!” called the pilot of this second craft 
again. “Thought you’d steal my passengers. 





BELOW THE PALISADES 


125 


did you? You won^t take them back, anyhow. 
Lady, don^t you take them girls back in that 
boat. It sprung a leak last trip!’’ 

^‘It did not!” cried the owner of the larger 
boat, letting go of his wheel and turning on the 
second pilot. ‘‘And these here passengers are 
mine by rights! You went out of turn twice 
yesterday. ’ ’ 

“Never mind what he did!” cried Miss Phil¬ 
lips. “Turn around and attend to your boat! 
Take us right over to that dock at once. Neither 
of you has any right to be transporting pas¬ 
sengers if you ’re going to quarrel in the middle 
of the river like this! ” 

Thus urged, the first pilot consented to turn 
around, and in a few minutes the boat was in 
the shadow of the towering fortresslike Pal¬ 
isades, and the passengers, rather shaken by 
their trip, though they would rather have died 
than admit it, stepped ashore. Their skip¬ 
per received his dollar and a half complacently, 
and offered to be ready to ferry them back 
any time in the afternoon that suited their con¬ 
venience. This was too much for the second 
motorboat owner, who had trailed the first 
boat all the way across the wide river with 
derisive remarks, and he promptly rammed his 
boat into the first one with such force that both 
of them nearly capsized at the dock. 

“Come away, girls, we’re not going home 




126 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


with either of those men,’’ declared Miss Phil¬ 
lips. ‘‘We’ll ride down the shore on the trolley 
to that other ferry that runs all year. Now, 
let’s be thauhful we didn’t have to swim ashore, 
and find a good place to make a fire.” 

Along the foot of the mighty cliffs that 
stretched for miles along this section of the 
Hudson, wound a good road that passed beside 
a fine strip of sandy beach. About a mile from 
the point where they had landed they found a 
dry, clean stretch of white sand, where the 
waves lapped pleasantly on the shore, and 
where there was a group of rocks that afforded 
splendid shelter for a fire. Drinking water was 
piped at intervals along the beach, and as there 
was a supply not far otf, the spot seemed ideal 
for getting luncheon, which was now the one 
idea in everybody’s mind. 

Several of the girls went off to gather fire¬ 
wood, and others collected stones on which to 
stand the coffee-pot. Dorothy had not only 
brought this, as she had faithfully promised, 
but when she took off the lid out came coffee, 
sugar, condensed milk, and, actually, a box of 
matches! It was the first time that anyone ex¬ 
cept herself had thought of them. 

Miss Phillips had brought a newspaper with 
her, and proceeded to tear it into strips. She 
placed these under a heap of twigs, and reached 
for the matches. 




BELOW THE PALISADES 


127 


‘‘I thought you always started a fire out¬ 
doors with dry leaves,’’ said Joyce, looking 
disappointed. 

^^So you do, in books and in autumn,” re¬ 
plied Miss Phillips. ‘^No, Joyce, when people 
are hungry and all the leaves are green, to 
quote *the song, it pays to remember the value 
of newspapers as tinder. Now, you see, the fire 
is really burning. If you and Muriel and Vir¬ 
ginia get long twigs, you can toast the bacon. 
But toast it well! ’ ’ 

^‘Do, for pity’s sake!” begged Dorothy. 
‘‘Don’t you remember that picnic we had at 
camp last summer, Priscilla, where we served 
the bacon nearly raw, and every single person 
there had a stomachache?” 

The fire blazed, the cojffee boiled, the bacon 
finally ceased to be flabby and grew crisp, the 
sandwiches were unpacked. Ten hungry ex¬ 
cursionists seated themselves in a circle on the 
sand around the fire, and fell to. 

“I wonder why it is that you always have 
to eat right away when you go on a picnic,” 
remarked Aline reflectively, after a long pause 
in the conversation, which was a tribute to the 
excellence of the cookery. “The eating is al¬ 
ways more fun than anything else, and it’s over 
right away.” 

“Don’t let’s have it the most fun on this 
picnic,” proposed Dorothy. “I have an idea. 




128 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


I brought a baseball along, just to throw if 
we wanted to, but it would be more fun to play 
baseball really. You saw those four little boys 
down the beach, didn’t you? Well, they have 
two bats, and maybe if we gave them some 
cake they would lend us a bat for awhile.” 

Priscilla’s chocolate cake, with marshmaRow 
and chocolate icing, was so large that four 
liberal pieces were hardly missed, and so de¬ 
licious that the four little boys were quite open 
to diplomatic negotiations on the subject of 
their bat. The Linger-Nots cleared up the 
beach, burned the papers and rubbish, and, 
organized by Dorothy, started a rather remark¬ 
able but very exciting baseball game. 

In a few minutes the four litle boys, who 
had been playing quite contentedly by them¬ 
selves, came over as spectators of the girls’ 
game. They were very obliging about criticiz¬ 
ing the play, and finally one of them kindly 
offered: 

‘‘Here, let me play and show you how to 
throw that there ball. You don’t know nothing 
about it, but I can learn you, I guess!” 

“AU right, take my place,” said Evelyn, 
whose pitching was hardly up to some of her 
other accomplishments. “I’m ready to stop 
for awhile.” 

The little boy marched promptly up to the 
bat, and Evelyn went back to the fire, where 





BELOW THE PALISADES 


129 


Miss Phillips was watching the coats while the 
girls played. Evelyn offered to relieve her if 
she wished to go and watch the game, which 
was now improving under tuition. So in a 
moment Evelyn was left by* herself on the 
shore, where she was quite happy watching the 
great boats that plied between Albany and New 
York as they passed the point of sand far out 
in the wide stream, and looking at the tall 
buildings in the city skyline across the river to 
the south. 

Presently Helena came strolling up, and 
Evelyn could see that a second small boy was 
taking her place. 

“I^m tired of chasing around that childish 
way,’^ observed Helena, fanning herself and 
sitting down on somebody else’s coat which was 
lying on the beach. ‘‘What are you doing here, 
Evelyn?’’ 

“Just staying with the things. I love to 
watch the boats go up and down here, and just 
sit and do nothing for awhile. You know this 
place is new to me, for I’ve never been across 
the river at this point before. ’ ’ 

“It’s lovely, isn’t it?” agreed Helena. “I’ve 
been here lots of times, though never so early. 
We used to come over here a great deal in 
summer, but the last year or two most of us 
have gone camping for six weeks or so, down 
on the Jersey mountains. I think we’ll go this 




130 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


year also. Aline and Priscilla were talking 
about it last night. Couldn’t you and Joyce 
come ? ’ ’ 

shouldn’t wonder,” replied Evelyn. 
everybody else going?” 

‘‘Not Muriel, she’s going to Canada to her 
grandmother’s. But I think everyone else.” 

“I don’t believe Rose will,” said Evelyn 
doubtfully. 

“Why, she said last week she thought she 
would. ’ ’ 

“Well, she told me coming up in the car 
that she thought she would stay in the city 
most of the summer.” 

“What for?” 

“Miss Phillips has offered her some work 
at the library. They’re going to make a new 
card catalogue for the whole library, and she’s 
used to that sort of work, you know, having 
helped her father with it. So she’s thinking of 
accepting the offer.” 

“I wonder what on earth for?” asked Helena 
perplexedly. 

“I guess she wants the money for her college 
course, and she thinks she’d better begin mak¬ 
ing some,” said Evelyn. 

“I think it’s a shame if she has to work 
during vacation, when the rest of us are all off 
having a good time,” said Helena “and I won¬ 
der what is the matter? I should think her 




BELOW THE PALISADES 


131 


father would have enough money to start pay¬ 
ing her college expenses, anyway. Lots of girls 
work when they^re in college, but she won’t 
be sixteen till September, and I think she ought 
to have some fun.” 

There was not a trace of self-consciousness 
in Helena’s voice, and it was quite clear that 
a girl set on enjoying herself as much as Helena 
always was felt that other girls should have 
the same rights. Evelyn looked at her hard, 
and was convinced that Helena knew nothing 
of the disappointment that had befallen Rose. 

Now Rose had not asked Evelyn to refrain! 
from mentioning the change in the plans for 
her father’s book, and though Evelyn had not 
spoken to anyone about it, she knew that it 
was not really a confidential matter. She de¬ 
cided she would tell Helena, and observe the 
result. 

‘‘Rose ought certainly to have some fun,” 
she said, “but I guess she thinks she’ll have 
to put it off awhile. You know that since it 
has been decided that Mr. Willing’s book is not 
going to be published, she-” 

“What?” said Helena, all her maturity dis¬ 
appearing, and giving herself away by her 
manner in a lamentably “childish” fashion. 
“Mr. Willing’s book isn’t coming out?” 

“No, not now, anyhow.” 

Helena sat thunderstruck. 





132 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


‘‘I guess you hadn’t heard that,” ventured 
Evelyn. 

‘‘N—^n—^no, I hadn’t. Will it make much 
difference to them^” 

‘‘I don’t know how much. I only know that 
the money from the book was going to help 
with Rose’s college expenses.” 

‘‘I’m so sorry,” said Helena uncomfortably, 
after a pause. “Do you know, I’m afraid may¬ 
be I may be to blame. Of course, I had no 
idea”—her voice trailed off into silence. 

“What do you mean?” Evelyn resolved to 
give Helena a chance to do her own explaining. 

“I’ll tell you,” said Helena, with sudden de¬ 
cision, “because you’ve always been so 
friendly to me—^not mean, like the other girls— 
and I know you’ll judge me fairly. You re¬ 
member what I told you about those papers 
Mr. Willing was using at the time of the State 
Library fire? Well, my uncle, Mr. Marsden, 
the publisher, you know, knew that I lived near 
the Jaffrey House, and he asked me if I had 
ever seen Mr. Willing, the curator, who was 
going to write a book about old ships for him. 
I told him that I knew Rose at school, and then 
I remembered that story about the State Li¬ 
brary papers, so I thought my uncle ought 
to know it. He had never heard of it, and he 
was very much interested, because of course 
the ship book will give a lot of copies of old 





BELOW THE PALISADES 


133 


plans and documents. How do you know it 
isn’t going to be published?” 

^‘Rose said her father got a letter from your 
uncle’s firm, saying they could not take it after 

all.” 

Helena looked slightly annoyed for a mo¬ 
ment, and then her expression changed and she 
looked uneasy. 

wonder if Rose thinks I caused any 
change in the plans ? ’ ’ she inquired. 

Evelyn saw that her chance had come to 
deal with Helena. She hoped she could do it. 
It would be hard. 

‘‘Rose thought that you might in some way 
be responsible,” she replied frankly. 

“How long has she thought so?” 

“Ever since the letter came—three months 
ago, I guess.” 

“She never has said anything about it, nor 
treated me at all differently from the way she 
used to.” 

“Of course not. She had no proof that you 
had injured her, and she is too honorable to 
act toward you with suspicion.” 

“Dear me, what a mess!” sighed Helena. 
“It does seem a pity uncle isn’t taking Mr. 
Willing’s book, if Rose needs the money so, 
but I couldn’t do less than tell him the story, 
could I?” 

“Perhaps not, but you could do more!” cried 




134 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


Evelyn, exasperated. “You could go and tell 
him that Mr. Willing has a letter from the State 
Library exonerating him from responsibility in 
the accident!” 

‘ ‘ How do you know he has ? ’ ’ 

“Rose told me so. Of course that doesn^t 
find the papers, but it does express confidence 
in him.” 

“Why, I never heard of it. Honestly, never.” 

“Well, I hope you’re satisfied with the mis¬ 
chief you’ve done, Helena, passing around an 
old story that you didn’t get straight in the 
first place! You’ve spoiled Rose’s plans, and 
hurt Mr. Willing, and kept your uncle’s firm 
from getting a good book. And you say people 
are mean to you! Whose fault is it? This is 
what comes of trying to be grown-up before 
you know how!” declared Evelyn, determined 
to tell Helena the truth once, partly, it must be 
confessed, to relieve her own feelings, however 
much she desired the reformation of Helena’s 
character. 

For one moment Helena looked exceedingly 
angry. Evelyn braced herself for an explosion. 
To her astonishment, the rage suddenly died 
out of the other girl’s face, and her color dis¬ 
appeared. 

“I guess you are right, Evelyn,” she said 
very quietly, and without a trace of resent¬ 
ment. 





BELOW THE PALISADES 


135 


Then she got up, strolled down the beach by 
herself, and left Evelyn, almost stunned, sit¬ 
ting alone by the fire. 

‘‘Helena! Helena!’’ called Virginia’s shrill ,, 
voice, “don’t go too far off, because Miss Phil¬ 
lips says we’ll have to start home soon.” 

Virginia came running along the beach from 
the direction of the baseball game, and flung 
herself down beside Evelyn. 

“It’s a perfect shame,” she grumbled, “that 
we can’t go home on that dear little boat. The 
reason we have to start early is because the 
trolley-car takes half an hour longer. ’ ’ 

“I’m sorry. Jinny,” said Miss Phillips, who 
was following her, “but we must try to make 
up for the disappointment somehow. You’ll 
get the river trip further down, even if it is on 
a horrid, safe ferryboat, and I propose that we 
walk through the woods to the second trolley 
stop, and get some flowers to take home. There 
is a great deal of dogwood out, and we may find 
some late violets.” 

This suggestion was very favorably received, 
and when, presently, it was time to leave the 
beach, just at the loveliest hour, when the shad¬ 
ows on the water were growing long, and the 
late afternoon air was getting still, the lost 
excitement of the foregone motorboat was 
amply compensated for by the treasures to be 
found in the woods along the trolley-track. 




136 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


There dogwood, violets, and mountain laurel 
bloomed, and in an open meadow in a cleared 
space the field flowers were beginning to show 
their colors. 

Joyce and Virginia and Muriel were particu¬ 
larly happy over the daisies and clovers, old 
friends of all of them, and when Virginia found 
a buttercup she shrieked for joy. 

‘‘I^m going to be rich!’’ she cried. ‘‘Joyce, 
do you love butter?” 

“What absolute babies!” said Helena 
crossly. 

“Oh, come, Helena,” said Miss Phillips 
mildly, “don’t be too hard on them! Don’t 
you know that buttercups have meant riches, 
in the language of flowers, for no one knows 
how long?” 

Helena did not condescend to answer, so 
Evelyn asked: 

“Do all flowers mean something, Miss Phil¬ 
lips?” 

“I believe they’re supposed to, my dear. No 
one knows the language any more, I’m afraid, 
though long ago it was a subject of the most 
intense interest to all young ladies. They used 
to interpret every bouquet they received, to see 
what meaning it might convey. I believe we 
have a curious old book in the library about 
the language of flowers, now that you speak of 
it, but it stays on the shelf the year round. 




BELOW THE PALISADES 


137 


Still, I thought everybody knew the meaning 
of buttercups. Now, have we all got everything 
we can carry? I hear the trolley-car.^^ 

By all, except two members of the party, the 
picnic was voted a complete success. Even the 
mishap of the motorboat, at a little distance, 
gave the affair a sort of distinction, and if it 
had not occurred, the homes along the parkway 
. and on Straiton Court would not have been 
blooming with spring flowers that evening. 

What Helena thought of the day was not re¬ 
vealed, as she scarcely spoke all the way home. 
As for Evelyn, she lay awake a long time that 
night, thinking over all that had taken place 
that eventful day. 

She hoped she had not said too much to 
Helena. But she could regret nothing she had 
said, and therefore was willing to wait for re¬ 
sults. Her real regret was for Eose, whose 
vacation seemed doomed to be much curtailed, 
and the regret grew as she thought that per¬ 
haps Rose would be the only one of the nine 
Linger-Nots whom she might not see at camp. 
If she could only help Rose! 

In all other respects she had enjoyed the day 
intensely, and perhaps most of all the tramp 
along the cliff to gather the flowers. She was 
reminded of it by the very faint odor of some 
buttercups, which Virginia, her ever-faithful 
admirer, had pressed on her at parting, though 





138 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


Evelyn felt that she was taking the child 
dearest possession when she accepted them. 

Evelyn was growing sleepy. It seemed to 
her that these were not the first buttercups she 
had seen that season. How absurd! Where 
else— Oh, yes, on that sampler the other eve¬ 
ning. The sampler with the Jaffrey House and 
the flowers. Buttercups meant riches, and 
flowers meant—why, all sorts of things, Miss 
Phillips had said. How curious! 

A sudden thought took possession of Eve¬ 
lyn’s mind. She laughed at it, scolded it, con¬ 
tradicted it. It remained firmly fixed. It was 
a strange and fantastic idea, but she could not 
get rid of it. 

‘‘The first chance I get,” she promised her¬ 
self, as she finally dropped olf to sleep, “I shall 
look at that ‘curious old book’ in the library.” 





CHAPTER XI 


THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS 

N ot for forty-eight long hours did the 
opportunity come, for the library was 
closed on Sunday, and Monday, until 
three o ’clock, was taken up with school. There 
was no club meeting that afternoon, however, 
as it was so soon after Saturday’s frolic, so 
when Evelyn reached home she called Rose on 
the telephone as soon as she could make up her 
mind to make a very curious request. 

‘‘Listen, Rose,” she begged, “I want to ask 
you to do something for me that I know you’ll 
think is ever so queer. And will you please not 
ask me any questions or think I’ve suddenly 
gone crazy? . . . Oh, you are used to me by 
this time! . . . Well, that doesn’t hurt my feel¬ 
ings! . . . Will you please go downstairs and 
look at that sampler those ladies were so ex¬ 
cited about the other night, and tell me all the 
kinds of flowers there are on it? . . . No, I’m 
not going to write a sequel to the play! . . . 

139 


140 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


Rose, do stop teasing and do what I ask you. 
I’ll hold the wire.” 

In a short interval Rose’s voice came across 
the wire: 

‘‘There are only three kinds, Evelyn: iris, 
buttercups, and nasturtiums. Why on earth do 
you want to know! Oh, I forgot, I’m not to 
ask questions.” 

“Is that all?” said Evelyn disappointedly. 
‘ ‘ Then I don’t believe—well, anyhow, I’m much 
obliged. I’ll see you to-morrow. Good-hy,” 

She hung up the receiver, and sat a moment 
thinking. 

“It’s hardly worth while taking too much 
trouble for only three, ’ ’ she mused. ‘ ‘ Still, I’m 
going to change my book anyhow. All right. 
I’ll do it.” 

She strolled over to the library leisurely, for 
it was a warm day, and there she found Miss 
Phillips, sun-burned and merry, sorting out 
piles of catalogue cards in preparation for the 
new list that was soon to be begun. 

“Your friend Rose is going to help with this, 
you know,” she announced to Evelyn, after 
they had talked over the fun of Saturday. “I 
asked her definitely when we were over at the 
Palisades, and she has decided to spend one 
month of her vacation here with me, and one 
month in the country. Now, what can I do for 
you to-day, Evelyn?” 




THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS 


141 


like to look at the book you told us about 
on the language of flowers,’’ answered Evelyn 
rather shyly, for she felt it was an unusual re¬ 
quest, and something made her unwilling to be 
questioned as to her purpose. 

‘^Very well. It’s a strange old book, out of 
print long ago, and so we keep it locked up and 
don’t let it go out of the library,” said Miss 
Phillips, taking a key out of a drawer in her 
desk. ‘‘I don’t think anybody has asked for it 
for years.” 

She unlocked a bookcase in one corner of the 
room, where unusual books were kept, and 
handed Evelyn a small black volume which still 
bore traces of elaborate gilding on the cover. 
The title was ‘‘The Lady’s Bouquet.” 

“You’ll give that back to me when you have 
finished with it, won’t you?” asked Miss Phil¬ 
lips, and Evelyn, promising to remember, sat 
down at one of the tables which was decorated 
with some of the dogwood Miss Phillips had 
gathered on Saturday, and opened the book. 

The idea she had conceived seemed to her 
almost fantastic, and she hesitated to turn the 
pages for a moment. Still, what would be the 
harm in carrying it out? Neither Rose nor 
Miss Phillips would ask questions, and if the 
idea turned out to be as silly as she almost 
thought it was, no one would ever know that 
it had been hers. 




142 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


Evelyn glanced at the page before her. She 
had opened at the index, which was arranged 
in columns, headed respectively: ‘‘Flower’’— 
“Sentiment”—“Page.” The flowers were ar¬ 
ranged alphabetically, and each one appeared 
to have a page containing its history, and a 
suitable poem appended, for the delight of 
ladies who wished to understand their bouquets. 

“Rose said ‘iris, buttercups, nasturtiums,’ ” 
thought Evelyn. “I’ll look up iris.” 

She ran her finger down the flower column. 
There, in the midst of the “I” list, appeared 
“Iris,” and opposite were the words: “I have 
a message for you.” 

Evelyn almost bounded from her seat, and 
began to tremble. It was all very well to fancy 
that a young lady of long ago might choose 
flowers of a special significance for her em¬ 
broidery, but no one could ever have imagined 
a personal message coming out of the past! 

“Buttercups I know,” thought Evelyn ex¬ 
citedly, “they were what gave me the idea of 
looking all the flowers up. ‘I have a message 
for you—riches’—^what do nasturtiums mean?” 

“The Lady’s Bouquet” informed her that 
they meant “patriotism.” This was rather 
confusing. 

“ ‘I have a message for you—riches—patri¬ 
otism,’ ” puzzled Evelyn. “What on earth can 
it mean? I’m sure there must be other flowers 




THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS 


143 


on the sampler. Rose must have overlooked 
something. Shall I go over and look at it? 
Would she laugh at me if I told her what I have 
discovered so far? I don’t believe she would. 
Anyhow, if the iris says ‘I have a message for 
you,’ I believe there is one, and I’m going to 
find out!” 

She handed back the little black volume to 
the librarian, and entirely forgetting the story¬ 
book she had originally come to the library to 
draw out, she betook herself as fast as she 
could to the Jalfrey House. How much she re¬ 
gretted her leisurely stroll over to the library! 
The afternoon was nearly gone now. However, 
she could reach the museum before it closed. 

She entered the house by the front door, 
which was open to the public, and went straight 
to the room where the curiosities were installed, 
to examine the sampler minutely. 

Rose had been quite right. There were only 
three flowers embroidered on the light brown 
linen. Nor was there apparently any detail 
that had escaped Evelyn’s notice before. The 
yellow house, the red roof with the smoke com¬ 
ing out of the second chimney, the sheltering 
tree, looked exactly the same. Evelyn pon¬ 
dered and pondered, standing motionless be¬ 
fore the wall. She read the verse over and 
over again. 




144 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


‘Mixed my zest and skill with thought, 

That the world might understand 
How I loved my native land,’ ” 

she repeated in a perplexity which did not 
shake her conviction that something lay behind 
the embroidered legend. 

‘‘Hello there!’’ cried Rose, coming into the 
room behind her. “Evelyn Barry, what are 
yon doing here? After that sampler again? 
Was there ever such a girl!” 

“Oh, you startled me!” laughed Evelyn. 
“How did you know I was here?” 

“I was in father’s office, and I heard a dear 
familiar voice talking to itself next door. Eve¬ 
lyn, do tell me what you are up to. I shall be 
worried about you if you fuss over that sam¬ 
pler any more!” 

“All right, Rose,” said Evelyn, taking a 
sudden resolve, “I’ll tell you, and if you want 
to laugh at me, you can. ’ ’ 

“I never want to laugh at you, honey,” said 
Rose, hugging her. “Now, tell me, you’ll feel 
better right away.” 

“Well, I think that sampler means more than 
it says.” 

‘ ‘ Why do you ? And what does it mean ? ” 

“Because, in the first place, it’s very un¬ 
usual. It attracts everybody’s attention. With 
that verse, it isn’t like an ordinary sampler at 




THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS 


145 


all. Then the verse says that the sampler was 
made ‘with thought’ so ‘that the world might 
understand.’ It seems as if there was some 
special reason for it. And, Rose, I’ve just been 
to the library and looked up the flowers in the 
book Miss Phillips told us about on Saturday, 
and the iris means ‘I have a message for 
you!’” 

“Really?” said Rose. “Evelyn, how do you 
ever think of such things ? What do the other 
flowers mean?” 

“The buttercups mean ‘riches,’ you know, 
and Miss Phillips saying that, and telling us 
how the language of flowers used to be such a 
popular interest with young ladies was what 
really put the idea into my head, because there 
is such a profusion of buttercups worked across 
the middle of the sampler, right over the roof 
of the house. The nasturtiums mean ‘patriot¬ 
ism,’ and of course those three meanings, ‘a 
message, riches, patriotism,’ don’t make very 
good sense, I admit. I believe there’s more 
that we haven’t discovered.” 

“There are no more flowers,” said Rose, 
shaking her head. “If there is a further mean¬ 
ing, it must be in something else embroidered 
on the sampler. There’s the tree, but of course 
that’s not a flower. ’ ’ 

“But trees do have meanings!” cried Eve¬ 
lyn, excitedly. “I saw ‘Oak’ right under ‘Nas- 





146 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


turtium’ in the book! I never thought of that! 
Oh, I wonder what sort of tree that is 1 ’ ^ 

‘‘We never can tell that,’’ said Rose decid¬ 
edly. “It’s just a tree, that’s all. Who could 
embroider a tree that size so you could tell what 
kind it was ? ’ ’ 

“But look! The view of the house shows it 
standing right alongside the corner where your 
room is. The branch goes right above your 
window. Perhaps the tree^s still there!** 

“There’s nothing but an old stump of a 
juniper-tree there now,” said Rose. “The tall 
trees are down around the sitting-room.” 

“But you say it’s old,” said Evelyn, hope¬ 
fully. “I am going to that library to look up 
‘juniper-tree!’ ” 

“Now? Why, it’s ten minutes of six. The 
library will be shut in ten minutes. ’ ’ 

“All right. I’ll run all the way. Good-by!” 

“Wait till I get my hat and I’ll come too!” 
cried Rose, catching Evelyn’s enthusiasm in 
spite of her conviction that her friend was 
probably doomed to disappointment. Amd in 
a moment both girls were running up the park¬ 
way. 

Evelyn was no mean sprinter, and Rose had 
much ado to keep up with her, though she was 
taller and more athletic than Evelyn. The 
force of Evelyn’s idea seemed to put wings on 
her feet, and the two girls arrived at the library 




THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS 


147 


just before Miss Phillips was pulling down the 
shades and preparing to go. 

‘^That ‘Lady^s Bouquet^ again? Why, Eve¬ 
lyn, I^m afraid I got you too much excited 
about the language of flowers,’’ said Miss Phil¬ 
lips, obligingly unlocking the bookcase door 
again. 

^‘No, I’m not a bit excited,” averred Evelyn, 
nearly strangling herself in an effort to control 
her breath and appear quite calm. ‘‘There’s 
just one thing we want to look up. Miss Phil¬ 
lips, and we won’t keep you.” 

She opened the little black volume again, with 
Pose looking over her shoulder. Once more she 
ran her finger down the page till it reached 
“Juniper,” and then across the page to the 
meaning. It was: “A hiding-place.” 

“Rose,” cried Evelyn, as the two friends 
gazed at each other thunderstruck, “that sam¬ 
pler says: ‘I have a message for you. Riches 
—hiding-place—patriotism! ’ ” 




CHAPTER Xn 


HELENA MAKES ANOTHER IMPRESSION 

W HAT shall we do now, Evelyn!’’ 
asked Rose respectfully, as the two 
girls found themselves again in the 
street in front of the library. Neither of them 
knew exactly how they had got there, so dazed 
were they both by their discovery. 

“We must find the hiding-place,” said Eve¬ 
lyn decidedly. 

“How!” 

“I haven’t the faintest idea, unless we study 
the sampler some more.” 

“We will, then. I wish we could do it right 
away, but I have to go home and help mother, 
for there are some people coming to dinner. 
Can you come over to-morrow afternoon, right 
after school!” 

“Yes, and we’ll look at every separate 
thread in that sampler if we have to! ” declared 
Evelyn. “I don’t know how I can ever wait!” 

“Nor I! Bother that company! Evelyn, do 
you suppose we’ll find buried treasure?” 

148 


HELENA MAKES ANOTHER IMPRESSION 149 


‘^How do I know? Now, don’t go supposing 
anything, because we may stick forever right 
where we are.” 

‘‘Oh, no, you’ll think of something,” pro¬ 
phesied Rose with touching faith. “I do hope 
I’ll live until to-morrow!” 

After a restless night, during which she 
dreamed that she had to pass an examination 
in the language of flowers, and was digging up 
sacks of gold buried under the juniper-tree, 
Evelyn surprised her mother by being very 
punctual for breakfast, and making an early 
start for school. She hoped to see Rose a few 
minutes before school opened, so they could 
again talk over yesterday’s wonderful dis¬ 
covery. 

Just as she came downstairs to the entry- 
hall, in joyful anticipation, the doorbell rang. 
Evelyn opened it, and there, to her disappoint¬ 
ment, and indeed, rather to her annoyance, 
stood Helena, whom she had not seen since the 
day of the picnic. 

“Are you just starting for school?” asked 
Helena. “I’ll walk over with you, and we 
might go slowly, because I have something to 
tell vou. ’ ’ 

V _ 

“Oh, dear!” thought Evelyn, but she agreed 
politely, and started at once, though now she 
saw it was useless to think of seeing Rose be-* 
fore the afternoon. 




150 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


‘‘I guess you’re surprised to see me,” began 
Helena, ^‘but I hope you won’t mind my coming 
when I tell you what I’ve done. ’ ’ 

She seemed to speak with difficulty, and 
Evelyn thought it best to say nothing, but to 
listen in silence. 

‘^When I got home on Saturday, I was so 
angry over what you had said to me that I made 
up my mind I’d never go near you again! 
That’s the truth, Evelyn, and I thought I’d tell 
you that first, because I want you to see how 
completely I’ve changed my mind. ’ ’ 

didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, 
Helena,” said Evelyn regretfully. 

‘Ht was a good thing you did,” said Helena 
with amazing frankness. ^^You made me see 
what people thought of me, but that alone 
would never have made me do what I have done. 
Yesterday I went and told my uncle that I had 
not told him all of the story about Mr. Willing, 
because I had never heard it, and so had left 
out the most important part.” 

‘‘Helena! Did you really? What did he 
say?” 

“Well—never mind what he said first. He 
was quite nice afterwards, and said to leave the 
matter with him and he would see if he could do 
anything about it. He was pretty angry about 
the book, because he felt that he should have 
been able to get it out some time ago. All I 





HELENA MAKES ANOTHER IMPRESSION 151 


wanted to tell you was that I did try to undo 
some of the harm that I did just because I 
wanted to make an impression.’’ 

think you were very brave,” declared 
Evelyn. ‘‘I don’t see how you ever did it.” 

didn’t like to, and I almost didn’t do it 
at all. The reason I finally did was because of 
what you said about Rose being so honorable 
to me. I hadn’t been at all honorable to her, 
I always felt annoyed because she seemed to 
get everything she wanted, even though it’s en¬ 
tirely ditferent from what I want. I don’t seem 
to get anything I really like—so far.” 

‘‘Oh, Helena, you mustn’t be discouraged,” 
said Evelyn sympathetically. “The sort of 
things you want take lots of time to get! I 
think it has been splendid of you to act so 
honorably, and I shouldn’t wonder at all if your 
uncle might take Mr. Willing’s book yet, and 
then Rose’s college plans will be all right again. 
S>e will think as much of you as I do when she 
knows what you did. ’ ’ 

“I can’t tell her,” sighed Helena, “for she 
never, as you know, said a word to me about 
her suspecting I had told the story in the first 
place. ’ ’ 

“Well, I’ll tell her, if you like. You don’t 
want her to go on suspecting, do you! She 
really ought to know that you did what you 





152 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


could to undo the wrong, even if nothing more 
comes of it.’^ 

‘‘Very well, I should like her to know, even 
if she never speaks to me again.’’ 

“Why, you foolish girl,” cried Evelyn, 
“she’ll speak to you now even if she never did 
before! Don’t you see, she’ll respect you. 
And so do I.” 

“Perhaps,” said Helena slowly, “that’s 
what’s always been the matter with me. No¬ 
body respected me, and I never knew it. I just 
thought people were mean.” 

“People are not mean,” declared Evelyn. 
“Whoever they can respect, they are friends 
with. ’ ’ 

“Then that, Evelyn, is the reason I always 
wanted to be friends with you,” said Helena. 
“It wasn’t only because you were clever, and 
I hate dull people, but because I knew you were 
always honorable and kind, and never mean. 
You weren’t mean even on Saturday, when you 
scolded me so! And after I had thought over 
everything you said, I believed you had told 
me the truth. I did pass around gossip just so 
that people would think I was grown up, and 
I saw that you were the only girl I knew who 
was a good enough friend to tell me so. That 
was why I went back to my uncle. ’ ’ 

“I’m going to see Rose this afternoon, and 
everything wiU be absolutely all right!” whis- 




HELENA MAKES ANOTHER IMPRESSION 153 


pered Evelyn, as they reached the school door. 

But nothing that day seemed to turn out the 
way it was planned. 

When Evelyn arrived at Rosens apartment, 
she found Bose absolutely unable to speak of 
anything except the sampler. Fired by Eve¬ 
lyn’s ingenuity, Rose had made up her mind 
that the stanza on the sampler might contain 
a secret message in the form of a code, an 
acrostic, or a hidden sentence, and she had cov¬ 
ered her desk with scraps of paper on which 
were written such remarkable sentiments as ‘‘I 
have mixed that how,” taken from the first 
words of lines, and ‘‘nfwtultt,” made by com¬ 
bining the initials of the final words. 

When Evelyn scoffed at these ideas as being 
obscure. Rose defended them on the ground 
that codes were not intended to be too plain. 
However, she was not entirely satisfied with 
her own results, and proposed that they should 
go and study the sampler together again. 

This time they both got chairs and sat down 
in front of it. 

‘‘We’ll spend the afternoon here if we have 
to,” declared Rose. “Now, Evelyn, it’s your 
turn to think of something bright. ’ ’ 

Evelyn gazed at the sampler intently for 
about ten minutes before she replied. Then she 
said: 

“I believe that the whole trouble has been 





154 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


that we Ve tried to be too bright all along. I Ve 
looked for mysteries so hard that there ’s a per¬ 
fectly simple thing there that IVe never 
noticed, and neither have you. Look at the 
date.’’ 

‘August 29, 1814,’ ” read Rose. “What 
of it?” 

“And you notice that the tree is in full 
leaf?” 

“Yes. WTiat of that?” 

“Nothing, except that there’s smoke coming 
out of the second chimney —your chimney. 
Would you have a fire in your room in 
August ? 

“Well, hardly. It does seem strange. And 
look here!” cried Rose, “I am going to have 
one little idea about this wonderful discovery! 
I have noticed all along that the tree is rather 
queerly shaped, and that it has one branch 
pointed straight to the chimney. That makes 
the smoke you speak of even more noticeable.” 

“So it does. Good for you! I never saw it 
at all, I was so busy finding out that it was a 
juniper-tree, and what juniper means. Bose! 
Juniper means ‘a hiding-place!’ ” 

“It must be near the chimney in my room! 
Evelyn,” cried Rose, in intense excitement. 
“Father has often told me that they built secret 
rooms in old houses around the chimneys! Do 
you suppose-” 





HELENA MAKES ANOTHER IMPRESSION 155 


‘‘I don’t know anything about it,” cried 
Evelyn, ‘‘but why not ask your father 1 He’s 
here, isn’t he?” 

Rose was out of the room before the second 
sentence was out of Evelyn’s lips, and the next 
instant the bewildered Mr. Willing was being 
dragged into the room by his daughter. 

“Father, is there a secret room in this house? 
And you never told me! ’ ’ cried Rose reproach- • 
fully, beginning at the very end of the girls’ 
discovery. 

“Oh, Mr. Willing, you know the language of 
flowers, don’t you?” cried Evelyn, trying to 
direct the narrative along its regular order of 
events, but only throwing Mr. Willing into 
further confusion. 

“I fear I do not gather exactly what you wish 
to convey,” he murmured mildly, looking from 
one to the other in perplexity. 

“Then listen, father dear,” said Rose, push¬ 
ing him down into the chair she had vacated. 
“Evelyn has been too bright for anything and 
has figured out that the flowers on this sampler 
mean something. Never mind the flowers just 
now. I’ll tell you what they mean: ‘I have a 
message for you—riches—^hiding-place—patri¬ 
otism.’ It’s the juniper-tree that means 
‘hiding-place,’ by the way. Then I had an idea 
—aren’t you terribly proud of me ?—it was my 
idea, wasn’t it, Evelyn?-” 





156 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


‘‘Yes, yes, it was wonderful! Go on!’’ 

“—and I noticed that the branch of the tree 
points to my chimney. So Evelyn thinks the 
hiding-place is by my chimney, and you know 
you told me that secret rooms used to be built 
around chimneys, father. Now, you mustn’t 
deny it! So don’t you think there’s a secret 
room in this house?” 

“Oh, I begin to comprehend your meaning,” 
admitted Mr. Willing. “My dear young ladies, 
you are most ingenious, but I rather fear that 
you may be disappointed. I have never heard 
of a secret room in connection with this house, 
and it is not built anything like the Colonial 
mansions with which one associates secret 
chambers. However, there is no reason why 
you should not try to find one, if you like. ’ ’ 

“We do like,” said Rose, decidedly. “Eve¬ 
lyn, let’s go right up to my room and look 
for it!” 

“How?” demanded Evelyn. “Shall we 
pound on the walls?” 

“Yes, and look for cracks, and loose planks 
in the floor,” said Rose, becoming imaginative. 

“I fear there are none of that sort of planks, 
my dear, nor, indeed, any planks,” observed 
her father. “I don’t want to discourage you, 
but don’t raise your hopes too high. You know 
there was a parquet flooring put down there 
last fall, and the walls were repapered.” 




HELENA MAKES ANOTHER IMPRESSION 157 


‘‘Never mind/^ said Rose valiantly. “Wedl 
think of something else, if we have to. That is, 
Evelyn will. She^s had all the ideas—except 
one. Come on, Evelyn. And, father, be all 
ready to come up and see what we find! ’ ’ 

Mr. Willing was a serious, studious man and 
he did not laugh often, but the enthusiasm and 
assurance of the girls were humorous. He 
laughed aloud. 

‘ ‘ Splendid youth! ^ ’ he banteringly called out 
to them. “You run like kittens after flying 
leaves and chase rainbows as a part of your 
happiness. Ill come when you find anything, 
but I’m not making large wagefs that there is 
anything for you to find.” 





CHAPTER XIII 


UNDER THE SECOND CHIMNEY 

P the little rear staircase flew Rose 



and Evelyn, and down the narrow hall 


to Rose’s room. With one accord they 
dashed to the brick fireplace, tossed all the 
mantelpiece ornaments on the bed, dragged 
chairs over to the fireplace, and, mounting on 
them, began to knock tentatively and in breath¬ 
less silence on the wall above the mantelshelf. 

don’t hear anything, do you?” whispered 
Rose, after numerous attempts to find a hollow 
spot. 

‘‘No, I’m going to knock harder,” replied 
Evelyn. 

She pounded valiantly with her full strength. 
The only sound was a heavy thud of knuckles 
on a solid wall. 

‘ ‘ Try on your side. Rose. Knock hard! ’ ’ 

“Ouch!” cried Rose, complying and promptly 
wringing both hands. “I believe these bricks 
are right under the wall-paper I Plaster would 
be much softer.” 


158 


UNDER THE SECOND CHIMNEY 159 


‘‘Let^s try somewhere else—on this side by 
the window/’ suggested Evelyn, climbing 
down and moving her chair into the corner of 
the room between the window and the jutting 
fireplace. ‘‘Come, I’ll try the upper wall, and 
you get down on the floor and try the wood¬ 
work. ’ ’ 

This plan produced nothing but more bruises, 
and an expression of unwilling admiration 
from both girls for the extreme solidity with 
which masons built houses in the last century. 
Rose sat down on the floor and nursed her 
wounds. 

“We might dig up some bricks from the 
hearth,” she suggested. “Perhaps there would 
be something underneath.” 

“All right, but let’s begin on loose bricks,” 
said Evelyn. “My knuckles are all skinned, 
and I don’t want to break all my finger-nails, 
too.” 

Unfortunately a close study of the hearth 
revealed not a single loose brick. Indeed, the 
mortar looked rather fresh and new and deter¬ 
mined to hold firmly. 

“That’s no good,” said Rose, somewhat dis¬ 
couraged, “and as father said, the floor has 
just been put down.” 

“The wax isn’t even scratched, not to men¬ 
tion cracks,” admitted Evelyn. “Well, why 
not try the other side of the fireplace?” 




160 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


‘‘Oil, nonsense, you know that chimney is 
perfectly solid! I don’t know how the smoke 
gets through it!” grumbled Rose. 

“Oh, come on, it’s not going to take long or 
hurt—very much,” urged Evelyn. “Come and 
help me drag this big wooden box out of the 
corner here.” 

She seized hold of one of the handles of a 
chest which nearly filled the corner between the 
jutting fireplace and the wall opposite the win¬ 
dow. Rose reluctantly took the other handle, 
and began to drag the chest out of the corner, 
with Evelyn pushing it from behind, for it was 
extremely heavy. 

“What do you have this here for. Rose?” 

“Because my closet is about as big as the 
broom-closet in most people’s kitchens, and I 
have to keep my clothes somewhere. I hardly 
ever move it. Goodness, it’s heavy! Well, 
there!” 

Rose gave the chest a sudden violent jerk 
into the middle of the room. Evelyn, not ex¬ 
pecting the jerk, was thrown entirely off her 
balance, pulled forward by the heavy chest, 
and, slipping on the polished floor, crashed 
down full length in the corner, with a hollow 
thud that echoed through the room! 

“Oh, Evelyn, are you hurt! I’m so sorry, it 
was all my fault!” cried Rose. “But did you 
hear that echo?” 






UNDER THE SECOND CHIMNEY 161 


‘‘Yes/’ said Evelyn, sitting up rather dazed, 
“it was in the floor—or else in my head.” 

“Indeed it wasn’t! It was in the wainscot¬ 
ing, my dear Evelyn. Your foot hit it when 
you fell.” 

Evelyn, fully restored by this information, 
bounded up and began to knock on the three 
panels of mahogany which ran along the side 
of the chimney. Every tap brought a hollow 
sound. 

“I believe we’ve found what we’re looking 
for,” said Rose quietly. “The next thing to 
do is to get those panels open.” 

How to do so was the question. There was 
no handle and no way of getting a leverage on 
the panels. The wainscoting refused to move 
up when the girls tried to lift it, and remained 
firmly fixed when they inserted their finger¬ 
tips in the cracks of the paneling and pulled 
in various directions. Rose inserted a button¬ 
hook in several of the small holes worn along 
the edge of the waiscoting with no results other 
than to prove that there was an empty space 
behind it, as foretold by the knocking. But the 
more stubborn the problem remained, the more 
determined were the two girls to solve it. 

“Let’s ask your father to help us,” sug¬ 
gested Evelyn finally, “if he wouldn’t mind 
coming. Anyway, we really have something to 
show him now! ’ ’ 




162 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


‘^All right,’’ agreed Rose, and dashed down 
the hall, returning almost instantly with her 
father, who had been in the family sitting- 
room. 

^^Now, then, father, listen!” she cried, tap¬ 
ping all over the three panels, and much en¬ 
joying Mr. Willing’s astonishment. ‘^We found 
this because Evelyn insisted on exploring this 
corner, and fell down and smashed her head 
on the floor and thought it was hollow. I assure 
you that the contrary is the truth. Now, father 
dear, we’ve done all the work. You open this 
place for us.” 

suppose the thing to do is to try for a 
spring, ’ ’ said Mr. Willing. ‘ ‘ This is a most in¬ 
teresting discovery, girls. I’ll begin on this 
panel at the edge of the fireplace, and go toward 
the wall. ’ ’ 

‘‘I do believe our heads are both hollow, after 
all,” declared Rose. never thought of a 
spring, did you, Evelyn, though we nearly 
knocked the whole place to pieces trying to get 
it open.” 

Mr. Willing was carefully pressing on every 
inch of the waiscoting in turn, slowly and thor¬ 
oughly. The first panel gave no results of any 
kind. He proceeded to the second, and still the 
woodwork remained immovable. The girls 
were getting anxious. 

Don’t worry,” he said, seeing the expres- 






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WITH THE STRANGEST, RUSTIEST CREAK, THE THIRD 
PANEL MOVED SLIGHTLY. 


“The Linyer-Nots and the Mystery House 


Page 163 











UNDER THE SECOND CHIMNEY 163 


sion on their faces. ‘‘If this little experiment 
won T work, we can easily have this wainscoting 
removed. There, that finishes the second panel. 
Now for the last. Cheer up! It’s always dark¬ 
est before dawn.” 

The girls watched his skillful fingers anx¬ 
iously, as they slowly moved down the third 
panel. There was not a sound in the room. The 
center of the panel had been passed, and Mr. 
Willing had almost reached the floor. 

“Oh, dear,” breathed Rose, “I don’t be¬ 
lieve-” 

A faint click interrupted her. With the 
strangest, rustiest creak, the third panel moved 
slightly, and then the second. Then all was 
silence. 

“It’s open,” said Mr. Willing, and slipping 
his hand behind the third panel, he slid it on top 
of the second, and, as he did so, the second slid 
back on top of the first. All that could be seen 
in the opening was the beginning of a stair¬ 
case, steep, covered with dust, and perhaps 
eighteen inches wide. 

“Let’s go up!” cried Rose, rushing toward 
the opening, but her father held her back. 

“I will go up first,” he said. “We don’t 
know what’s there.” 

“Oh, please let us go too! Call us, please, 
when you get up to—to wherever the stairs 
go!” 





164 LINGER-NOTS AND IVIYSTERY HOUSE 


‘‘Very well, I will,’^ promised Mr. Willing, 
stooping down and entering the opening on the 
stairs, which was less than four feet high. 

His feet sounded on the stairs. He went up, 
up, up. The steps grew fainter and fainter, 
yet still the sound of them continued. 

“He must have got to the moon by this 
time!’^ cried Rose in an agony of suspense. 

‘ ‘ Father! ’ * 

“Yes! You can both come up!^’ came Mr. 
Willing ^8 answering voice. 

Bobbing their heads under the wall above the 
open panels, the two girls found themselves in 
a sort of cylinder built close against the chim¬ 
ney, which contained the little staircase. It was 
so narrow that a large person would have had 
difficulty in mounting it. On and on it wound, 
and the middle of it was so nearly dark that the 
girls had to feel their way along the walls. 
Finally a ray of light appeared ahead, and after 
a few more steep steps they found themselves 
with Mr. Willing, in a rather wide, but very low 
ceilinged room. 

“ Congratulations^ he cried, helping them 
up the last step. “The Jatfrey House really 
has a secret room after all, and I must say that 
it is one of the most cleverly concealed that I 
have ever seen. 

“Where are we, Mr. Willing?said Evelyn, 
rather confused. ’ 




UNDER THE SECOND CHIMNEY 165 


‘‘In the very top of the roof, in what people 
sometimes call the second story of it, in fact.’^ 

“Why, here^s a window!’^ cried Rose, run¬ 
ning across the empty room. “I never noticed 
a window here in the roof, did you, father?’’ 

“No, my dear, and I believe that the reason 
is that that window, which you see is very low, 
even for the room, is made to look like an upper 
sash of the garret window below. I think that 
must be the explanation, for it is right on the 
same side of the house. Now we know why 
that garret is so small. The roof was evidently 
designed to slope the way it does to conceal this 
chamber, and the staircase does cut off a small 
space on the side of the garret. ’ ’ 

“I wonder what the room was built for,” 
said Evelyn. 

“It’s impossible to tell. These rooms in old 
houses are supposed to have been refuges in 
time of war, or hiding-places from Indians, but 
just what this one was for it would be hard 
to say.” 

“Isn’t it too bad the people didn’t furnish 
it,” sighed Rose, glancing at the bare walls and 
floor. “Then we might have known a little 
more about what it was used for.” 

“I think they did leave something over there 
in that dark corner, ’ ’ said Evelyn. ‘ ‘ Don’t you 
see that heap of stuff on the floor?” 

Mr. Willing and the two girls quickly crossed 




166 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


the little chamber, and with intense curiosity 
bent over the ‘^heap of stutf/’ 

‘^This is a piece of cloth,’’ said Rose, touch¬ 
ing a covering wrapped around the heap. *‘How 
dusty it is! Let’s pull it off and see what’s 
underneath.” 

She unwrapped the cloth, and out of it fell 
two objects, both made of black leather. One 
was a large, heavy case for papers, the handle 
of which broke off as she lifted it. The case, 
however, remained firmly shut. It was sealed 
with three heavy red seals along the flap. Eve¬ 
lyn picked up the other object as it fell. It was 

a book with a gilt clasp, and on the cover the 
initials, ^'E. J.” 

‘‘‘E. J.’—Esther Jaffrey!” cried Evelyn, 
staggering back in amazement, and Rose, no 
less astounded, nearly dropped the case she 
was holding. 

‘ ‘ Very likely, ’’said Mr. Willing. ' ‘ Let us go 
downstairs at once and examine these things. 
The dust here will choke us all in a few minutes 
more.” 

He stooped and picked up several strips of 
wood which were the only other objects remain¬ 
ing in the room, and then followed the excited 
girls downstairs. They carefully shut the door 
into the secret passage, and betook themselves 
at once to the sitting-room to examine their dis¬ 
coveries. 




UNDER THE SECOND CHIMNEY 167 


Mr. Willing broke the seals on the case, and 
putting in his hand, drew out a large number 
of papers, rather yellow with age. They seemed 
to be covered with drawings and rough 
sketches. Rose and Evelyn looked at them in 
perplexity, for the pictures conveyed no mean¬ 
ing whatever to them, as they seemed to be 
drawings only of machinery. Mr. Willing, 
however, clearly understood them. He stared 
at them with mingled delight and stupefaction, 
then desperately plunged his hand into the case 
again, and, to his evident relief, drew out a 
small flat notebook, which bore on the cover, in 
faint black ink, the words “Peter Ward: 
Records.’’ 

“My dear children!” ejaculated Mr. Will¬ 
ing, “this is a most extraordinary discovery!” 

“Who was Peter Ward?” asked Rose. “Did 
you ever hear of him before, father?” 

“Dear child! Peter Ward was an early 
American engineer of great ability!” said Mr. 
Willing with mild reproach. “Now, I must ask 
you to let me look over these papers at once.” 

“Just one second, father,” pleaded Rose, 
“Evelyn and I want to see this black leather 
book. Do open it, Evelyn!” 

Evelyn tugged at the clasp, and it immedi¬ 
ately gave way. The girls eagerly bent over 
the faded title-page. It bore the legend: “My 
Diary. Esther Jaffrey.” 




168 LINGER^NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


^Oh, can’t wc take this to my room and look 
at it while you’re reading the papers, father?” 
cried Eose. We’ll take such good care of it!” 

Mr. Willing,^ already absorbed in the docu¬ 
ments before him, nodded. The girls flew down 
the hall in breathless excitement. 

'Must wait until I shake this dusty cloth out 
of the window,” cried Eose, "and then we’ll 
sit down and read Esther’s diary! Evelyn, did 

you ever have anything so exciting happen to 
you?” 

She threw open the window, and shook clouds 
of dust out of the cloth which she had carried 
down from the secret room. Its color grew 
lighter, and from being a dingy gray it became 
a yellowish white. 

"Look here,” said Eose, "this cloth is em¬ 
broidered, and beautifully embroidered.” 

It s not a cloth,” said Evelyn, seizing one 

end, "it has fringe on both ends. It looks like 
a scarf!” 

"If we make any more discoveries to-day I 
shall go crazy!” declared Eose. "Come le^s 

start on that diary.” ^ 

Side by side, the two girls pored over 
Esther’s book. The beautiful, fine old-fashioned 
writing was clear and distinct. 

^ " 'May 2, 1814,’ ” read Evelyn. "She was 
sixteen then. It’s the same year that she made 
the sampler. Or, look, Eose,” as her eye ran 






UNDER THE SECOND CHIMNEY 169 


down the page, ^‘this is all about the war, and 
about her home here, and her garden! Let’s 
read every word, so we can tell the other girls 
about it.” 

know something better,” said Rose. 
‘‘Let’s ask them all to come right over, and 
read it out loud! I think they all will except 
Helena, perhaps, and I can’t help it if she 
won’t.” 

‘ ‘ Oh, she ’ll come! ’ ’ cried Evelyn. ‘ ‘ I forgot 
to tell you I came over this afternoon especially 
to tell you about Helena, and I never thought 
of it once! She wanted me to let you know 
what she has done. You were right. Rose, and 
she did teU that story to her uncle, just as you 
suspected. But after—after she thought it 
over,”—Evelyn modestly omitted her part in 
making Helena think it over—“she was very 
sorry, and she went and told her uncle that she 
had left out the fact of your father’s having 
that letter from the State Library. She had 
honestlv never heard of it, and she has done 
everything she could to undo the terrible thing 
she did.” 

“The idea! I never would have believed it 
of Helena!” said Rose, frankly. “I think 
you’re at the bottom of this, Evelyn, for some¬ 
one must have talked to her. Well, I think a 
whole lot more of Helena than I ever did be¬ 
fore in my life, and I shall go and telephone to 




no LINGBR-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


her first of all the girls. Now, 1^11 go and ask 
mother if I may invite them, and you look over 
the diary. 

Never, surely, did minute-men report faster 
to their posts than did the Linger-Nots to the 
Jaffrey House on receipt of Eose’s telephone 
messages. Helena was the first to arrive, and 
when Eose came upstairs with her, Evelyn saw 
that the two girls had come to a complete under¬ 
standing. For three girls, it was the happiest 
moment of all that happy day. 

Eight on Helena’s heels came Aline and Vir¬ 
ginia, Joyce, Muriel, Priscilla, and Dorothy. 
They squeezed into Eose’s pretty room and 
found places on the bed, the hearth, and the 
wooden chest, which still stood in the middle of 
the floor. Evelyn was voted into the rocking- 
chair, and requested to read without delay. 

‘‘Very well, if Eose will go on when I’m 
tired,” she agreed. “Now, girls, this is the 
way it begins ”: 





CHAPTER XIV 


Esther’s diary 

Jk 1814. My beloved parents have 

/1/^ always encouraged me to keep a diary 
ever since I reached my ninth year, 
but hitherto a single notebook has sufficed to 
record each year’s events. This sad year of 
1814 is the first when I have had to begin a 
second volume. 

The reason is not far to seek. It has been 
my painful duty to record a succession of ter¬ 
rible disasters which have befallen the Ameri¬ 
can cause in the long and discouraging struggle 
which has been trying our country to the utmost 
for two long years. Things seem to go from 
bad to worse. 

At present, the blockade of the British fleet 
along our whole Atlantic coast keeps our fight¬ 
ing-ships in harbor, and over a thousand of our 
merchantmen have been captured. My father 
says that never has he known business to be so 
bad, nor so many men unable to find work. He 

, and my mother have given much time to reliev- 

171 



172 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


ing the distress of the poor. Food is very 
scarce and high, because it is impossible to 
transport it in suflScient quantities owing to the 
blockade. Many of our friends have been col¬ 
lecting and sending away to the West large 
sums of money for the relief of the unfortunate 
settlers on the Niagara frontier, where recently 
the Indians massacred inhabitants of six vil¬ 
lages. Shall we ever see an end of these 
terrible times? 

It is selfish to think of oneself in such circum¬ 
stances, yet I confess I was glad when the time 
came yesterday to leave our noisy town home, 
as we always do in May, and come up here to 
our peaceful country residence for six months. 

There is so little that a girl like myself can 
do for our cause, in the righteousness of which 
I firmly believe, though many who proclaim 
themselves Americans differ with me, that no 
doubt I can do it as well here as anywhere else. 
I can at least make this house a pleasant place 
for my two brothers and our cousins, who re¬ 
main in town to drill with their regiments, 
which are assigned to the defense of New York 
in event of an invasion. If they get leave, they 
can come here with their friends to rest. 

I was up early this morning working in my 
garden, which is behind the maple-grove over¬ 
looking the river. The iris has come up again 
from last year, and is beginning to bloom in all 




ESTHER’S DIARY 


173 


its splendor. It has evidently been a stormy 
winter, for part of the ivy that covers the wall 
behind the garden has been torn off, and some 
of the stonework around the beds has been 
washed away. I had a talk with Huggles, our 
gardener, about the damage, and he suggests 
my planting a screen of sweet-peas against the 
wall, as they grow so fast that they will soon 
cover the bare spot. I will do this, and after I 
have set out the beds, I will plant nasturtiums 
around the stonework, and they will soon hide 
the new stones, that look so strange in the old 
gray border. Ruggles predicts a splendid sea¬ 
son this year for our gardens. 

It is agreeable to know that any prospects 
are encouraging, even those of flower-beds, 
which do not at present seem very important, 
though hitherto my flowers have been my chief 
love. 

When the sun rose high, I came indoors and 
busied myself with my needlework, and later 
came up here to my old private haunt in the 
little room under the second chimney, where 
scarcely anyone but myself ever comes. This 
cell-like row of rooms is seldom used even for 
guests, so I can write and think here without 
interruption. The view across the wide green 
meadows to the south, where buttercups and 
daisies are now appearing, is peaceful and in¬ 
spiring. 




174 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


May 16. My father returned from his ship¬ 
yard this evening more encouraged than he has 
been for a long time. While the war news is 
no better, it seems that the city authorities are 
at last becoming aroused to the great danger 
confronting New York, the richest city in the 
country, which is entirely surrounded by 
water, and is thus exposed on all sides to enemy 
attacks, with a view to its capture as a splendid 
prize. It seems incredible to say so, but the 
truth is that little has been done to fortify the 
city, for so many people have opposed the war 
and desired to make peace on any terms, and 
give up the freedom of the seas for our ships 
if necessary, that those who have been loyal 
among the authorities have met with great ob¬ 
stacles. At last, it seems that our people are 
to forget politics in the face of a very great 
danger: Napoleon has abdicated, and Great 
Britain can release thousands of troops from 
service in Europe, and send them here. 

This seems like a terrible calamity to me, but 
my father is calm and almost cheerful. He has 
informed us that he has no fear over the final 
outcome of the war if American ingenuity and 
skill can really be encouraged to do their part 
in winning the conflict, and has told us a re¬ 
markable piece of news which will soon become 
public. Mr. Robert Fulton, the inventor, not 
content with propelling a passenger-ship by 





ESTHER’S DIARY 


175 


steam, has plans for a steam warship, to be cov¬ 
ered with iron, which artillery will not be able 
to pierce. It sounds like the wildest of dreams, 
yet my father has great faith in it. This steam 
war frigate, as it is called, will be built at once 
in my father’s shipyard. 

"When he had told us this, I said to him; 
‘‘Then you have entire confidence in the skill 
and courage of our men?” My father replied: 
“Yes, my daughter, and I have equal faith in 
our women I” He patted me affectionately, 
and I felt much encouraged, though of course 
I realized that he said this only out of attach-^ 
ment to me, and not because he expects me to 
invent a steam war frigate! 

May 19, I have not been able to find a mo¬ 
ment to write for three days. Both my broth¬ 
ers have obtained leave to-morrow, and will 
bring several of their fellow-officers here with 
them, and mother and I have been very busy 
arranging the house and planning entertain¬ 
ments for these gentlemen. Father was 
slightly upset to hear this, as he is to bring up 
a guest to-morrow himself, who evidently will 
not care for entertainments. He is a young 
military engineer who has been working with 
Mr. Fulton, my father says, and who has some 
extraordinary ideas of his own on the subject 
of artillery. My father says most people laugh 
at Mr. Peter Ward, for this is his name, but he 




176 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


thinks everyone ideas should have at least 
a hearing in this time of national danger, since 
some new idea may save the country. So he 
has invited Mr. Ward to come here and dine 
and spend the night and discuss his inventions. 
Altogether, we shall be fully occupied to-mor¬ 
row! 

May 21, I had the first good time yesterday 
evening that I have had for months. Our boys 
came with their friends, and were very happy 
over being home again. They looked splendid 
in their uniforms with blue coats trimmed with 
silver lace, yellow trousers, high boots, and 
beaver caps with red plumes. Mr. Ward ar¬ 
rived with a great case of papers, and was in¬ 
troduced to the company, but seemed to have 
very little to say. He was of course in plain 
dress, and perhaps he felt outshone by the uni¬ 
forms. However, he does not look like an in¬ 
ventor, so he need not have felt embarrassed. 
That sounds rather unkind! What I means is, 
that he might be rather handsome if he were 
not so solemn. 

He and father disappeared into the library 
after dinner, just as our neighbors, whom we 
had invited over to dance, were driving up in 
their carriages. I did not see him again until 
late in the evening, when he passed the door¬ 
way of the ballroom just as my partner and I 
were taking our places for the final dance. I 




ESTHER’S DIARY 


177 


thought he gazed at me with intense disap¬ 
proval. I suppose he thinks me frivolous to 
dance in wartime. 

May 25, Mr. Ward has been with us ever 
since I wrote the last entry. He goes to the 
shipyards with my father every day, and they 
spend the whole of every evening and most of 
the night in the library. He is very serious and 
silent. 

June 3, Our merry times are at an end. To¬ 
day, just as we were assembling for dinner, in¬ 
telligence arrived that fifteen thousand British 
troops, released from service abroad, had 
sailed for this country. Our party was imme¬ 
diately broken up, and we bade a sad farewell 
to our soldiers, who were to report at their 
camps at once. 

Our only guest at the quiet meal which fol¬ 
lowed was Mr. Ward, who leaves to-morrow, 
having at last, no doubt, told my father every¬ 
thing there is to know about guns. Although 
he has been here two weeks, I scarcely feel at 
all acquainted with him, for he has been so 
quiet. I must say that he acted in a very gentle¬ 
man like manner on seeing the sorrow of my 
parents on parting with their sons, and said 
not a word about guns during the whole meal. 
I was astonished to find that he can talk well 
on many subjects, and is as fond of plays and 
music as I am myself. 




178 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


June 4, As I was working in my garden be¬ 
fore breakfast this morning, I heard a step be¬ 
hind me, and turning around saw Mr. Ward. 

‘‘I must compliment you on your taste in 
flowers,’’ he said, after we had exchanged 
* ^ Good-mornings. ’ ’ 

had no idea you paid compliments,” I said 
with a smile. 

‘^Are you like everybody else,” he retorted, 
‘‘and think that I have no interests other than 
cannon and shot f ’ ’ 

“By no means. And as to that, those are the 
most proper interests for a young man to-day, 
in my opinion.” 

Mr. Ward looked pleased, and said: 

“I see you are a worthy sister for two soldier 
brothers. But I would expect that from a young 
lady who plants such wonderful nasturtiums.” 

I did not understand his meaning, and stood 
looking at him, trowel in hand. 

“In the language of flowers,” he explained, 
“the nasturtium means ‘patriotism.’ ” 

“I didn’t know that! But I am doubly glad, 
then, that I thought of planting these to cover 
the break in the coping around the flower-beds. 
I chose them because the flowers and leaves 
grow so fast and thick, without knowledge of 
what the blossom signifies.” 

“Why, every flower has some meaning,” he 
began, and I suppose would have recited them 




ESTHER’S DIARY 


179 


all from Acacia to Zinnia if a servant had not 
come along the path at that moment and called 
us to breakfast. After breakfast he made his 
adieux, and departed with my father. 

June 11. The last week has been without' 
events worthy of record. The weather is beau¬ 
tiful, and my garden grows apace. 

June 12. Here, at last, is something to write 
about! A messenger arrived to-day with a 
package addressed to me, and on opening it I 
found it came from Mr. Ward, who, it seems, 
can make presents as well as he can invent 
guns and pay compliments. It contained a book 
and the following note: 

“If Miss Esther Jaffrey will honor the giver by 
accepting this humble offering as a token of gratitude 
for the many favors Which he has received from her 
esteemed father, she will be rewarded by finding in 
its pages many interesting and curious facts regarding 
the flowers which she cultivates with such success in 
the garden of the home where she is the chief orna¬ 
ment. 

Very respectfully, 

Peter Ward. 

The name of the book is “The ‘Lady’s Bou¬ 
quet, or. The Language of Flowers.’ ” I was 
quite overpowered by the attention from a man 
who my father says is one of the leading en¬ 
gineers here in spite of his youth, and at once 
wrote him a note of thanks which I copied 





180 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


three times. Even then all my sentences were 
much shorter than his, but I had to stop some 
time. 

I took the book into the garden and started 
to look up various flowers in it. The significa¬ 
tions are all very curious. I found that the 
lily-of-the-valley means ‘‘return of happiness,’’ 
and was much cheered at the thought of the 
war ending. The next flower I looked up was 
the morning-glory, which meant “extinguished 
hope,” and I was again plunged in despair! 
However, it was very kind of Mr. Ward to think 
of me. 

June 21. A few days ago I spent most of the 
morning on our lawn, watching Commodore 
Decatur’s ship taking soundings in Hell Gate. 
It was marvelous to see the dexterity with which 
his pilot steered the ship between the rocks, in 
the dangerous, boiling waves. 

To-day my father tells us that as a result of 
these soundings, it has been shown that a ship 
of any size can pass through Hell Gate with a 
skilled pilot! We thought ourselves safe from 
invasion in that direction, at least. Now plans 
are being rushed for strong blockhouses at this 
part of the river. 

The keel of Mr. Fulton’s steam war frigate 
has been laid. My father says that Mr. Ward 
is working day and night on his artillery. At 
first I thought he ought to be in the army or 




ESTHER’S DIARY 


181 


navy, but now I see that he can serve the coun¬ 
try perhaps better with his inventions. We 
must not judge people harshly because they do 
not always act just the way we think they 
ought to when we first see them. We might be 
wrong. 

July 7. The fifteen thousand British troops 
have reached Bermuda! It is thought they 
may be intended for the invasion of New York. 
My father says the city is in a perfect turmoil. 
It is an armed camp, with soldiers drilling 
everjrwhere. 

July 15, When I went to the garden this 
morning, the island in the river just above us 
was covered with men. They were breaking 
ground for a blockhouse to command Hell Gate. 
This brings the war to our very door! If I 
could but help—but I am absolutely useless. 

The steam war frigate in the shipyard has 
been ordered heavily guarded by troops, my 
father says. Spies are feared. So not only the 
soldiers and sailors are in danger, but workers 
like Mr. Ward, and of course my father, are in 
constant peril. 

August 11, The Mayor has called on every 
able-bodied citizen to turn out and help com¬ 
plete the earthworks that are to defend New 
York against a land invasion. British troops 
have arrived at the mouth of Long Island 
Sound, and some have landed. 




182 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


August 16, The blockhouse on the island is 
rising. It seems that Mr. Ward is to be sent 
there to direct the mounting of the guns, and 
will again be our guest while he is working 
there. He arrives to-morrow. 

August 20, For two weeks I have almost en¬ 
joyed myself—that is, I have experienced a 
strange kind of pleasure that I never knew be¬ 
fore. I have been busy aiding my mother every 
day in preparing refreshments to be sent 
to the men working on the blockhouse on the 
island, and several evenings I have taken her 
place in remaining up until my father could 
reach home and have some supper. He is now 
detained every day at the yards until a late 
hour. 

Our people are at last united. We hear no 
more suggestions that we shall make peace on 
any terms but our own. Each one of us is oc¬ 
cupied in doing his duty, whatever that may be, 
for our beloved country, and in this occupation 
we all find happiness. 

August 26, Last evening my father arrived , 
home very late. I was sitting up for him, and 
he was so tired and distraught that I saw some¬ 
thing unusual had occurred, and devoted all my 
efforts to making him eat and drink. He finally 
did so, without saying a word. In a few min¬ 
utes Mr. Ward rushed in entirely without cere- 




ESTHER’S DIARY 


183 


mony, looking if anything more concerned than 
my father. 

‘^Have you got them?’’ cried my father, in 
the greatest alarm. 

‘‘I have, sir. We were just in time,” replied 
Mr. Ward, and sank down in a chair as if in the 
depths of exhaustion. 

Naturally, I said nothing, but I at once 
poured him some coffee, set it down near his 
elbow, and took my seat again. For several 
minutes neither he nor my father moved nor 
spoke. At length he noticed the coffee, evi¬ 
dently attracted by the aroma, as I had hoped, 
drank it quickly down, and for the first time 
glanced at me, apparently in gratitude. 

I know nothing whatever about the matter to 
which he and my father referred, of course. 
What problems and burdens they have I I am 
happy to be of the smallest use to either of 
them. 

August 27. The most crushing blow has 
fallen on us all I This morning we heard that 
Washington has been captured and burned! 
The President’s Mansion, the Library of Con¬ 
gress, nearly every public building, has been 
destroyed! The flames were seen in Baltimore. 

Only one bright spot stands out in this dread¬ 
ful calamity. Mrs. Madison, the President’s 
wife, managed to carry the Declaration of In- 





184 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


dependence and a portrait of President Wash¬ 
ington to a place of safety. 

The news arrived at breakfast. Such a dis¬ 
tressing scene I never before witnessed. My 
poor mother, thinking of her sons, was dissolved 
in tears. My father was nearly prostrated. Mr. 
Ward remained very quiet, but he paced the 
floor in agitation and left his breakfast cooling 
on the table. Their suffering caused me the 
greatest anguish, and all I could do was to re¬ 
frain from adding to it. I actually managed 
to keep back my tears for a long time, and then 
I said; 

‘‘I have finished, mother. Shall I go and be¬ 
gin preparing the food for the workers?’^ 

‘‘Join me in an hour, Esther,’^ replied my 
mother. “I wish to talk to your father.’’ 

I rushed out into my garden, and once there 
sat down on one of the stone benches and wept 
bitterly. 

Presently a step behind me caused me to 
withdraw my handkerchief from my eyes. Mr. 
Ward was standing beside me. 

“You will pardon my addressing you at this 
moment,” he said very gently, “but I saw you 
come out here, and I followed you because I am 
in urgent need of help which I believe you alone 
can give me.” 

I gazed at him in astonishment. 

“I must speak very plainly,” he continued. 




ESTHER’S DIARY 


185 


‘^You realize, do you not, that we are in the 
greatest danger? That the enemy will now 
move on New York, and may arrive within a 
week? And that his advance-guard is already 
with us?^’ 

His meaning flashed on me. 

‘‘You mean spies?I whispered. 

He nodded. 

“Day before yesterday they had that case of 
mine in their possession for an hour. It was 
under guard on the island, and the guard was 
overpowered, but managed to give the alarm, 
and we got it back with the seals unbroken. ’ ^ 

I now realized the cause of the agitation of 
Mr. Ward and my father two evenings before. 

“That case,’^ continued Mr. Ward in a low 
tone, “contains my formulas for making a new 
sort of shot which our Government has just 
tested and approved, and also all the records 
of my researches in inventing this shot. It is 
not a solid cannon-shot, like the ones now in 
use, but a hollow shell which contains powder 
and explosives. It is my intention to give this 
to the United States, for no one else in the 
world has anything like it. It is considered 
very powerful and valuable. Naturally, it 
would be of great advantage for the enemy to 
obtain possession of these papers and draw¬ 
ings. As we know how to manufacture these 
shells, we do not need the contents of the case 




186 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


just at present, but it is highly important that 
they shall be kept safely. I am going to ask 
you to keep them here. ’ ^ 

‘‘Here? Why? And why do you ask me?’^ 
The questions all sprang to my lips at once. 

“Yes, in this ho'use. Because it is so out of 
the way that even in an invasion it would likely 
be spared, and it is so evidently a gentleman’s 
country residence that no one would ever sus¬ 
pect it held such a secret. And I ask you be¬ 
cause I believe you are more to be trusted than 
anyone else I know.” 

I must have looked my amazement, for he 
continued: 

“It is true. In the midst of these terrible 
days, you have remained perfectly cahn, your 
only thought, apparently, for your parents, 
your brothers, and those around you. From 
that first evening I saw you dancing with those 
soldiers, cheering them on what may be their 
last leave, I noted your unselfish patriotism. 
You ask no questions—you do the work that 
comes to your hand—I know that you can keep 
a secret. Can you hide that case of mine some¬ 
where safely here?” 

For one instant—it seemed an eternity!—I 
thought more intensely than ever before in my 
life. Then I replied: 

“I can. I remember that my father told me 
that when he built this house a secret room was 




ESTHER’S DIARY 


187 


built, under the second chimney. As in older 
houses, it was built simply as a hiding-place in 
case of some emergency, and when there seemed 
to be no probable use for it, he had the en¬ 
trance covered, because the door closed with a 
spring, and he was afraid that my brothers 
might get trapped there some day while they 
were playing about it. I have never seen the 
room, but I know where the entrance used to 
be. It is in the wainscoting of my private sit¬ 
ting-room in the guest wing. Come, and I will 
show you. ^ ’ 

We flew to the back of the house, up the nar¬ 
row staircase, and down the little passage to 
this end room, where I am now writing. I 
pointed to a small place about three feet wide, 
where the chimney-piece jutted into the room. 

‘‘It was here, father says. He simply had 
the wainscoting matched in thin wood, and cov¬ 
ered with a second layer so that it appears like 
the rest of the room.” 

“Wait here one moment,” ordered Mr. Ward. 

He was back instantly, with his case in one 
hand and a small tool in the other. Faster than 
I can write it, he drew the nails from the wain¬ 
scoting. The three feet of false woodwork fell 
off, revealing a duplicate wainscoting below. 

He dropped the tool, and started to try for 
the spring, pressing every part of the paneling 
in turn. Not until he had reached the third 





188 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


and last panel was it found. Then we heard a 
creak, the panel loosened under his hands and 
slid to the left, revealing a tiny winding stair¬ 
case. 

At this very instant we heard a voice outside 
the window on the lawn. It was one of the 
servants, asking my mother if Mr. Ward had 
gone, as there was a message for him from the 
commander of the island. We exchanged quick 
glances. I snatched the case from his hand, and 
he rushed out of the room and downstairs. 

I sprang through the open panel and up the 
stairs, nearly strangled with dust. The secret 
room was quite empty, and lighted only by a 
tiny slip in the roof. I could not bear to leave 
the case in all that dust, so I took off my India 
muslin scarf and wrapped it in that before lay¬ 
ing it on the floor. Then I came downstairs. 
The false paneling was lying on the floor. I 
snatched it up, ran up the steps again, and hid 
it also. I then descended, snapped the door 
shut, dusted myself off, and went back to the 
garden. 

How peaceful it was there! Yet how violently 
my heart beat! And still the*excitement was 
not past. 

^‘Miss* Jaffrey said Mr. Ward^s voice be¬ 
hind me. He came across the garden at a run. 

“All is well,’’ I assured him. 




ESTHER’S DIARY 


189 


* ‘ There is one thing more. I leave you imme¬ 
diately ! ’ ’ 

‘‘You leave us!’’ I cried, and I fear must 
have shown the dismay I felt, for he drew me 
gently to a bench and made me sit down. 

“I am ordered across the river to inspect the 
great blockhouse there. My consolation in 
leaving you is that I know that if that fort and 
the one on the island are perfected, this point 
where you are will be thoroughly guarded 
against attacks. I shall then receive further 
orders. I do not know where they will take me. 
Our secret rests with the two of us, and the 
fewer who know it, the safer it will be. But we 
must provide for its communication in case of 
need. It is war time—every man’s life is in 
danger, and I am sure you are brave enough to 
be facing the fact that you may have to flee 
from your home.” 

“I realize that, Mr. Ward,” I said. “How 
shall we arrange for the communication of the 
secret?” 

“I have time only to write the directions for 
finding the case, and leave them with you to 
conceal somewhere in your sitting-room—per¬ 
haps under a brick of the hearth. I can tell one 
of the other engineers that they will be in that 
room, in case of need. That is a poor plan, but 
I am to leave at once, and there is no time to 
improve it.” 




190 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


He drew writing materials from his pocket. 
It seemed to me as if I could not endure to risk 
such a secret in this way, just for lack of a little 
time to make it safe. The flower-beds swam 
before my eyes, and then—I saw what could 
be done. 

have thought of something better,’^ I said. 
^‘Let me make a code that contains the secret, 
and will involve no risk of discovery by the 
wrong person.^’ 

‘‘How will you do it?’’ 

“I will embroider a sampler with flowers 
whose signification will reveal the secret. I will 
hang it with my other samplers in the living- 
room. You can tell that one other person where 
to look for the directions. No one else can ever 
suspect anything.” 

“Invaluable girl!” cried Mr. Ward, with a 
warmth quite unknown in him before. “I 
thought I knew your worth, but I did not! ’ ’ 

The wheels of his carriage rolled up the 
driveway. He rose to go. We were both silent. 
He moved to the garden wall and plucked some¬ 
thing, and then returned to me. 

“If you read the book I gave you, Esther,” 
he said, “you will understand this parting 
token.” 

The flower was a sweet-pea. I remembered 
its meaning—“Departure—think of me.” 

I could not speak, but I stretched my hand out 




ESTHER’S DIARY 


191 


to the wall, picked an ivy leaf, and held it out 
to him. I knew from his face that he under¬ 
stood its significance—‘‘Fidelity.’’ He kissed 
my hand, and left me. 

August 28 , I have spent the whole day work¬ 
ing on my sampler. My mother was glad to see 
me BO calm, and commended as ingenious my 
device of putting the alphabet, usually set forth 
by itself, into a rhyme, saying that it made an 
unusual bit of work that she would be glad to 
have exhibited on the drawing-room wall. 

The choice of flowers for the code was less 
easy than I had fancied. After much searching 
and thought, however, I settled on the follow¬ 
ing, with their respective meanings, and em¬ 
broidered the house, and the tree protecting the 
second chimney: 


Iris.I have a message for yon. 

Buttercups... .Riches (the best I could do. After 

all, are not these plans worth more 
than wealth ?) 

Juniper.A hiding-place. 


Nasturtiums... Patriotism. 

This means: “A message; riches hidden near 
second chimney, for the cause of patriotism.” 

At least, the meaning will be clear to anyone 
who is directed to find the sampler, and if the 
plans are never required, they will be safe. I 
am tired, but happy. 








192 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


August 30, The sampler is finished, framed, 
and hung. Its design and color are much ad¬ 
mired by my friends. 

September 2, The city is covered with for¬ 
tifications. The citizens all are united to de¬ 
fend it, to the very end. Peter Ward has been 
ordered away, no one knows where. 

September 14, The great victory of Lieu¬ 
tenant McDonough on Lake Champlain has 
turned the tide at last! Those of us who strove 
to serve their country at all times see our re¬ 
ward at hand. 

We are to leave next week for our house in 
town. 

February 12, 1815, I have not written for 
months in this volume, but how often have I 
read it! And now— the war is over! A ship 
arrived yesterday bringing the treaty of peace. 

Yet, as always, with the sweet comes the bit¬ 
ter. Peter Ward, released from war service, 
expects to sail at once for Europe, and will 
study engineering in Paris, as did Mr. Robert 
Fulton, several years ago. He will remain a 
long time. 

September 30,1815, This is my last entry in 
this diary. 

We have spent the summer here again, but 
it may be the last summer I shall pass here for 
some time. 

My father is going abroad next month on 




ESTHER’S DIARY 


193 


business, and my mother and I are to accom¬ 
pany him. We shall spend the winter in Paris, 
where my elder brother is now attache at our 
Legation. He writes that many gayeties are in 
store for us, and that he meets Peter Ward 
often at the houses of mutual friends. 

I cannot take this diary with me, so I shall 
leave it in the secret room beside Peter’s case. 
If I return—^if this house continues to be my 
home—I shall find great consolation in reading 
over the story of those happy, even though 
dreadful, wartime days. And if—if my home 
shall be elsewhere, and my hopes fulfilled, I 
shall not need you, shall I, dear Diary? So 
rest quietly, beside the treasures that my sam¬ 
pler guards, until the right time shall come for 
you to tell your story! 





CHAPTER XT 


CLEAR SKIES 

E velyn dosed the diary. 

For several minutes no one spoke. All 
the girls sat thinking of that other girl of 
long ago, who, in the very room where they 
were sitting, which to-day belonged to one of 
their own number, had done so much for the 
country and the friend she loved. Finally the 
silence was broken by Virginia, who gave a long 
sigh. 

‘‘Oh-h-hl Did she marry him?'^ 

Everybody laughed, and Helena said kindly: 
‘‘Very likely she did, Jinny. She left the 
book here, and that looks as if she did, don^t 
you think so ? ’ ’ 

“Oh, I hope so,’’ replied Virginia earnestly, 
“but I want to know.” 

“Rose, perhaps your father might know,” 
said Priscilla. 

“If I get a chance. I’ll ask him,” said Rose, 
“but he’s very busy just now.” 

“Maybe that book he wrote about American 
families would tell,” suggested Evelyn. 

194 



CLEAR SKIES 


195 


‘‘Yes, it might. I have a copy of it here/’ 
said Rose, turning to her bookcase. ‘^Oh, 
bother! There’s the doorbell.” 

‘‘I’ll go for you,” said Evelyn, who was near 
the door. “You find the book” 

She left the room, but returned almost imme¬ 
diately. 

“Your mother was down in the hall right by 
the door. Rose. What does the book say?” 

“ ‘ Jaffrey,’ read Rose from the index of the 
small gray volume, “ ‘pagel28.’ Here’s the 
family: ‘Stephen Jaffrey of New York, ship¬ 
builder, merchant. Married . . . two sons . . . ’ 
Oh, girls, here it is! ‘One daughter, Esther, 
bom 1798, married 1816, in Paris, France, to 
Peter Ward!’ ” 

“Then that’s aU right!” said Virginia with 
relief. “ I’m so glad! ’ ’ 

“I guess we all are. I was crazy to know, 
myself,” admitted Helena. 

“And*so this is Esther’s India muslin scarf,” 
said Aline, fingering the old embroidery that 
was lying on the table beside her, “and Rose’s 
father has Peter’s case of papers! Then we 
know about everything that was found upstairs 
except those pieces of wood Evelyn men¬ 
tioned. ’ ’ 

“They must be the false woodwork,” said 
Dorothy. 

“That’s exactly what they are,” agreed 




196 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


Rose, ^‘for they had little holes in them like the 
hole I stuck the buttonhook into when I was 
trying to move the secret door. Those must be 
the old nail-holes.^’ 

‘‘Well, Esther’s diary is very interesting,” 
said Muriel, as the girls rose to leave, for the 
afternoon was nearly gone, but I don’t think it’s 
nearly so exciting as the play Evelyn made up 
about her!” 

“We should think not!” agreed all the 
Linger-Nots loyally. “You could never make 
a play about a sampler.” 

Just at this moment Mrs. Willing came down 
the hall looking for Rose, and was so evidently 
anxious to speak to her at once that Priscilla 
said: 

“Don’t bother to come down to the door, 
Rose. We know the way! We’ve all had a per¬ 
fectly wonderful time.” 

“You must all come again soon and see the 
secret room after we’ve had the vacuum cleaner 
up there,” said Rose hospitably. 

She followed her mother up the hall to the sit¬ 
ting-room, and the girls ran downstairs and 
dispersed to their homes. Joyce and Evelyn 
arrived home just as dinner was ready, and 
their narration of the adventures of that re- 
^ markable day made that dinner one of the most 
interesting ever served in the Barry household. 

And still the day was not over! They had 




CLEAR SKIES 


197 


hardly left the table when there was a ring at 
the doorbell, and the next moment Rose came 
rushing in, more excited than Evelyn had seen 
her even at any time that afternoon. 

‘‘Please excuse me for interrupting you!’’ 
she gasped apologetically. “Such a wonderful 
thing has happened! I must tell Evelyn right 
away, and father thought I had better not tele¬ 
phone about it just yet. ’ ’ 

“Sit down, Rose, and tell us all,” said Mrs. 
Barry. “What can have brought you over so 
late, in the dark?” 

“I know it’s late, and dark too, but mother 
said I might come if I ran both ways. Evelyn, 
do you remember that time the bell rang this 
afternoon, when I had started to look for the 
book?” 

“Yes.” 

“That was a telegram for father, from the 
State Librarian. And it said: ‘Lost documents 
found. Letter follows. See morning papers! ’ ” 

“Rose! How perfectly splendid! I am so 
glad!” cried Evelyn. “Do you know where 
they were found?” 

“No, not yet. Now, how is anybody in our 
house going to sleep a wink to-night?” 

“You’ll all sleep the sleep of the just,” said 
Mr. Barry, “for this evidently means. Rose, 
that your father has not a single cloud on his 




198 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


reputation. I don^t envy the State Libraiy the 
explanations they will have to make.’^ 

‘‘Oh, that telegram was the best thing that 
happened this whole wonderful dayl^’ said 
Eose. “I wanted to tell Evelyn about it right 
away because she has a sort of connection with 
it/» 

“Why, how?’’ asked Evelyn. 

“Father says that those documents you 
found in the case in the secret room are of the 
greatest importance and interest, and he thinks 
that the Society will likely want him to edit 
them for publication.” 

‘ ‘ Then if he can do that, perhaps your college 
plans will go through after all!” exclaimed 
Evelyn. 

“Oh, of course it’s only a jwssibility yet, but 
if it turns out the way we hope it will be all due 
to you, Evelyn, ’ ’ said Rose, hugging her, as she 
started to leave. 

Evelyn and Joyce reached the breakfast table 
the instant the meal was ready next morning, 
but their father was ahead of them, and was 
searching the columns of his newspaper for an 
article about the State Library. 

‘ ‘ Here it is I ” he exclaimed, as they took their 
seats, “and I’ll read it to you. It’s headed: 

DOCVMENTS WERE MISPLACED 
TEN YEARS 




CLEAR SKIES 


199 


The remarkable return to light of important 
documents, the property of the State, after an 
absence of nearly ten years, was reported yes¬ 
terday by State Librarian George Parker. 

These documents comprised a unique collec¬ 
tion of papers and pamphlets on early Amer¬ 
ican inventions in the field of naval artillery. 
They bore the general title: Ships and Guns, 
United States, 1800-1815.’’ They disappeared 
at the time of the famous fire in the State Li¬ 
brary, and have never been seen since. 

Yesterday a writer collecting material for a 
paper on silverware was referred by the library 
catalogue to look for information about por¬ 
ringers and tankards in a file marked Ves¬ 
sels/^ In this file he discovered the lost group 
of documents. They were not arranged in or¬ 
der. No. 8 was uppermost, and bore the title: 
^‘Vessels Using Chain-Shot: the Viet rice and the 
Baltimore.*^ 

It was evident that through carelessness these 
documents had been classified in the file under 
‘^VesseW^ instead of under Ships,** where 
they belonged. 

Mr. Parker at once hastened to communicate 
the discovery to Mr. Howard Willing, the well- 
known authority on American antiques. Mr. 
Willing was the last person who used thd ‘Gost” 
documents, having, by a strange coincidence, 
been examining them at the very hour of the 




200 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


fire. Their disappearance has always greatly 
distressed Mr. Willing, though he was in no 
way to blame for it, and their return to light 
confirms what he has always contended, that he 
returned them at once to the library desk when 
the alarm was given. 

Even their disarrangement confirms this 
statement, for it would appear that Mr. Willing 
was working on No. 8, and handed back the 
papers instantly without waiting to put them 
in order. The librarian who took them, through 
excitement, inattention, or carelessness, ^evi¬ 
dently thrust them into the wrong file, whence a 
fortunate accident has recovered them after the 
passage of ten years. 

‘'Mother,'' said Evelyn, as her father laid 
down the paper, ‘‘I don't want any more break¬ 
fast. I want to go over and see Hose before 
school." 

“Go, dear," said her mother, laughing, “and 
I'll make some extra sandwiches for your 
luncheon-box.'' 

How green the little park looked in the May 
sunshine, how red the chimneys of the Jaffrey 
House, how blue the wisteria vine was budding, 
as Evelyn sped down the steps of her home and 
along the parkway! Never had the silver river 
shone so brightly, or the bold black smokestacks 
on the other shore looked so full of strength 





CLEAR SKIES 


201 


and power. And there was Rose, waving wildly 
out of her bedroom window, as Evelyn turned 
into the northern entrance to Willett Park. 

“Wait for me on the lawn!’^ called Rose. 
“I’ll be right down.” 

Evelyn strolled down the walk to the front 
of the old mansion, and gazed at the little green 
islands, the white-caps of stormy Hell Gate, and 
a great ship that was passing up toward the 
Sound and the ocean beyond, with a rapture 
that even she had never felt before. 

“I couldn’t ask you to come upstairs just 
now,” explained Rose, coming down the front 
porch steps. “Father is so excited that he 
doesn’t know what he’s doing, except that he’s 
getting up a speech of gratitude to recite to you 
when he’s calm enough. Evelyn, I do believe 
this is the first time I ever was really happy, 
and it’s your doing! ’ ’ 

“Oh, my dear Rose,” said Evelyn uncom¬ 
fortably, “I thought we finished talking about 
those documents in the case last night.” 

“But that’s not the latest,” cried Rose, “you 
don’t know what’s happened this morning!” 

“Yes, father read us the article in the paper 
about how they found those State Library docu¬ 
ments, and I’m just as glad as if my own father 
and not yours had been concerned.” 

“But that’s not what I’m talking about, 

child!” 




202 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


‘^Well, what now?^’ 

^^Mr. Marsden called father on the telephone 
in the middle of breakfast, said he had seen the 
article, and I guess managed somehow to ex¬ 
plain about his refusing the book on fighting 
ships. Anyway, father is to go down to-day to 

Mr. Marsden ^s office to sign the contract for the 
book. ^ ^ 

^‘Theii, Rose, you are going to college, if 
your father has two books in prospect,’^ 

‘‘Yes, and I’m going to camp all summer! 
Evelyn, you did it. You’re the best friend I or 
any of the Linger-Nots have ever had.” 

‘ ‘ Friends! ’’said Evelyn thoughtfully. ‘' Did 
I do anything for friendship? I suppose it 
looks best to say I did it just because it was for 
you, but it was more than that. Whatever I 
have done, I have done because it was the thing 
to do. On that account, you don’t owe me any 
gratitude but what belongs to one who tries to 
do whatever should be done. AVhen we work 
together^ that way, I can see that it makes 
friendship and binds us in one social bond. If 
all the world could be trusted to be always try¬ 
ing to make things better, wouldn’t it be a 
happy world!” 

“So it would,” replied Rose, ^‘but that is 
,^hy we have our Linger-Nots. We make a 
llittle world of our own, and soon all learn, from 
;the efforts of one, how much happier it is for 






CLEAR SKIES 


2oa 


every one to seek the truth and keep faith with? 
one another. Now we can enjoy the fields and 
the woods with no sorrow in our hearts.’^ 

They clasped hands and looked over to the 
little green islands and then across at Mie great 
ship fast fading from view on its far-away 
journey. Whatever was happening elsewhere 
in the world, they felt a mutual trust of friend¬ 
ship that wrongdoers can never know. Evelyn 
broke the silence. 

‘‘What fun we’ll have at camp!” cried Eve¬ 
lyn,” and then we’ll come back here beside the 
river, to the best place in the world! Think of 
all the things that can happen!” 

“Can they? I wonder if there’s really any¬ 
thing left to happen,” said Rose. 

“Of course there is,” cried Evelyn, gazing up 
the silver stream to the great bridge on the 
horizon. “This is a place where wonderful 
things have always happened, and they’ll go 
right on!” 

‘ ‘ Our experience has made a kind of creed or 
code for me,” said Rose, with tears coming 
into her eyes. “Wherever there is true friend¬ 
ship, good things will happen to one another. 
The Linger-Nots have learned how happy we ! 
all are when we are working together for some \ 
useful purpose.” 

“You are right,” added Evelyn. “Life is a| 
novel in daily installments, each chapter in-v 




204 LINGER-NOTS AND MYSTERY HOUSE 


creasing the interest. I can hardly wait for 
next summer to see what will happen to us 
then. But leave it to the Linger-Nots.^^ 

And so what happened to them is told in the 
next book entitled ‘^The Linger-Nots and the 
Valley Feud, or, The Great West Point Chain.” 


THE END 




THE LEHGER-NOT SERIES 


By AGNES MILLER 


12wo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors 

Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid 


This new series of girls' hooks is in a new 
style of story writing. The interest is in knowing 
the girls and seeing them solve the problems 
that develop their character. Incidentally, a 
great deal of historical information is imparted, 
and a fine atmosphere of responsibility is made 
pleasing and useful to the reader. 


1. THE LINGER-NOTS AND THE MYSTERY HOUSE 

or The Story of Nine Adventurous Girls 

How the Linger-Not girls met and formed their club seems com¬ 
monplace, but this writer makes it fascinating, and how they made 
their club serve a great purpose continues the interest to the end, and 
introduces a new type of girlhood. 

2. THE LINGER-NOTS AND THE VALLEY FEUD 

or The Great West Point Chain 

The Linger-Not girls had no thought of becoming mixed up with 
feuds or mysteries, but their habit of being useful soon entangled 
them in some surprising adventures that turned out happily for all, 
and made the valley better because of their visit. 

3. THE LINGER-NOTS AND THEIR GOLDEN QUEST 

or The Log of the Ocean Monarch 

For a club of girls to become involved in a mystery leading back 
into the times of the California gold-rush, seems unnatural until the 
reader sees how it happened, and how the girls helped one of their 
friends to come into her rightful name and inheritance, forms a fine 
story. 

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( THE BETTY GORDON SERIES 


By ALICE B. EMERSON 

Author of the FamouB **Ruth Fielding* Series 

12mo, Cloth, lUiistrated. Jacket in full colors 

Price per volume, 6S cents, postpaid 


A series of stories by Alice B. Emerson which 
are hound to make this writer more popular 
than ever with her host of girl readers. 

1. BETTY GORDON AT BRAMBLE 

FARM 

or The Mystery of a Nobody 
At the age of twelve Betty is left an orphan. 
Her uncle sends her to live on a farm. 


2. BETTY GORDON IN WASHINGTON 

or Strange Adventures in a Great City 

In this volume Betty goes to the National Capitol to find her 
uncle and has several unusual adventures. 

S. BETTY GORDON IN THE LAND OF OIL 

or The Farm That Was Worth a Fortune 

From Washington the scene is shifted to the great oil fields of 
our country. A splendid picture of the oil field operations of today. 

4. BETTY GORDON AT BOARDING SCHOOL 

or The Treasure of Indian Chasm 

Seeking the treasure of Indian Chasm makes an exceedingly inter¬ 
esting incident. 

5. BETTY GORDON AT MOUNTAIN CAMP 

or The Mystery of Ida Bellethorne 

At Mountain Camp Betty found herself in the midst of a mystery 
involving a girl whom she had previously met in Washington. 

6. BETTY GORDON AT OCEAN PARK 

or Gay Days on the Boardwalk 

Adventure in high society let loose on the seashore. 

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THE RUTH FIELDING SERIES 


By ALICE a EMERSON 


J2mo» Illustrated* 



Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid 

Ruth Fielding will live in juvenile Fiction. 

RUTH FIELDING OF THE RED MILL 

or Jasper Parloe's Secret 

RUTHFIELDINGATBRIARWOODHALL 

or Solving the Campus Mystery 

RUTH FIELDING AT SNOW CAMP 

or Lost in the Backwoods 

RUTH FIELDING AT LIGHTHOUSE 
POINT or Nita, the Oirl Castaway 


RUTH FIELDING AT SILVER RANCH 

or Schoolgirls Among the Cowboys 

RUTH FIELDING ON CLIFF ISLAND 

or The Old Hunter's Treasure Box 

RUTH FIELDING AT SUNRISE FARM 

or What Became of the Raby Orphans 

RUTH FIELDING AND THE GYPSIES 

or The Missing Pearl Necklace 

RUTH FIELDING IN MOVING PICTURES 

or Helping the Dormitory Fund 

RUTH FIELDING DOWN IN DIXIE 

or Great Days in the Land of Cotton 

RUTH FIELDING AT COLLEGE 

or The Missing Examination Papers 

RUTH FIELDING IN THE SADDLE 

or College Girls in the Land of Gold 

RUTH FIELDING IN THE RED CROSS 

or Doing Her Bit for Uncle Sam 

RUTH FIELDING AT THE WAR FRONT 

or The Hunt for a Lost Soldier 

RUTH FIELDING HOMEWARD BOUND 

or A Red Cross Worker's Ocean Perils 

RUTH FIELDING DOWN EAST 

or The Hermit of Beach Plum Point 

RUTH FIELDING IN THE GREAT NORTHWEST 

or The Indian Girl Star of the Movies 

RUTH FIELDING ON THE ST. LAWRENCE 

or The Queer Old Man of the Thousand Islands 

RUTH FIELDING TREASURE HUNTING 

or A Moving Picture that Became Real 


CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers 


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THE RADIO GIRLS SERIES 

By MARGARET PENROSE 

\2mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors 

Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid 


A new and up-to-date series, taking in the 
activities of several bright girls who become 
interested in radio. The stories tell of thrilling 
exploits, out-door life and the great part the 
Radio plays in the adventures of the girls and 
in solving their mysteries. Fascinating books 
that girls of all ages will want to read. 


1. THE RADIO GIRLS OF ROSELAWN 

or A Strange Message from the Air 

Showing how Jessie Norwood and her chums became interested 
in radiophoning, how they gave a concert for a worthy local charity, 
and how they received a sudden and unexpected call for help out 
of the air. A girl who was wanted as a witness in a celebrated law 
case had disappeared, and how the radio girls went to the rescue is 
told in an absorbing manner. 

2. THE RADIO GIRLS ON THE PROGRAM 

or Singing and Reciting at the Sending Station 

When listening in on a thrilling recitation or a superb concert 
number who of us has not longed to “look behind the scenes” to see 
how it was done? The girls had made the acquaintance of a sending 
station manager and in this volume are permitted to get on the pro¬ 
gram, much to their delight. A tale full of action and not a little 
fun. 

3. THE RADIO GIRLS ON STATION ISLAND 

or The Wireless from the Steam Yacht 

In this volume the girls travel to the seashore and put in a vacation 
on an island where is located a big radio sending station. The big 
brother of one of the girls owns a steam yacht and while out with a 
pleasure party those on the island receive word by radio that the 
yacht is on fire. A tale thrilling to the last page. 

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THE GIRL SCOUT SERIES 


By LILIAN GARIS 

12mo. Cloth, Illustrated. Jacketin full colors 
Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid 

The highest ideals of girlhood as advocated 
by the foremost organizations of America 
form the background for these stories and while 
unobtrusive there is a message in every volume, 

1. THE GIRL SCOUT PIONEERS 

or Winning the First B. C. 

A story of the True Tred Troop in a Penn¬ 
sylvania town. Two runaway girls, who 
want to see the city, are reclaimed through 
troop influence. The story is correct in scout 
detail. 

2. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT BELLAIRE 

or Maid Mary's Awakening 

The story of a timid little maid who is afraid to take part in 
other girls’ activities, while working nobly alone for high ideab. 
How she was discovered by the Bellaire Troop and came into hef 
own as “Maid Mary” makes a fascinating story. 

3. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT SEA CREST 

or The Wig Wag Rescue 

Luna Land, a little island by the sea, is wrapt in a mysterious 
seclusion, and Kitty Scuttle, a grotesque figure, succeeds in keeping 
all others at bay until the Girl Scouts come. 

4. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT CAMP COMALONG 

or Peg of Tamarack Hills 

The girls of Bobolink Troop spend their summer on the shores of 
Lake Hocomo. Their discovery of Peg, the mysterious rider, and 
the clearing up of her remarkable adventures afford a vigorous plot. 

5. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT ROCKY LEDGE 

or Nora's Real Vacation 

Nora Blair is the pampered daughter of a frivolous mother. Her 
dblike for the rugged life of Girl Scouts is eventually changed to 
appreciation, when the rescue of little Lucia, a wetland waif, 
becomes a problem for the girb to solve. 

Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue 



CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers 


New York 

















The Dorothy Dale Series 

By MARGARET PENROSE 
Author of “The Motor Giris Secies” 

12mo. Illustrated. Price per volume, .00 poetpald- 


Dorothy Dale Is the daughter of an old 
Civil War veteran who is running a weekly 
newspaper In a small Eastern town. Hef! 
sunny disposition, her fun-loving ways and 
her trials and triumphs make clean. Inter¬ 
esting and fascinating reading. The Dorotliy 
Dale Series is one of the most popular seriM 
of books fdr girls ever pubiishecL 

Dorothy Dale: a Girl of To-day 
Dorothy Dale at Glenwood School 
Dorothy dale’s Great secret 
Dorothy Dale and Her chums 
Dorothy Dale's queer holidays 
Dorothy Dale's Camping Days 
Dorothy Dale's school Rivals 
Dorothy Dale in the City 
Dorothy Dale’s Promise 
Dorothy Dale in the West 
Dorothy Dale s strange Discovery 
Dorothy Dale’s Engagement 

CUPPLES & LEON CO., Publishers, NEW YORK 

















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